Merlin
by Sanura Bey
Summary: Elizabeth lost her memory and was taken in by Merlin's family at the age of 10. When they go to Camelot will the secrets of her past come to light and ruin the family who found her? Will their destinies change how they interact with each other?
1. Pilot

Merlin and I walked through the countryside to Camelot in the heat, our packs heavy. Mother had told us to only take what we would need not what we wanted, we could acquire those later. We walked over many hills and stayed off most of the paths, just as we were told. When we camped, Merlin made our fire while I made sure we were safe.

When we entered Camelot we walked towards the palace into the square. When we got there the king was making a speech.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass." he gave a hand signal and the man was beheaded. The crowd gasped at this action and I grabbed Merlin's hand, we had to be careful here. "When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin." A woman then came out of the crowd screaming in agony.

"There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You killed my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son." She threatened the king.

"Seize her!" the guards ran towards her but she said some spell before disappearing in a whirl of wind and smoke.

After the incident in the square, Merlin and I entered the palace and addressed a guard.

"Where would I find Gaius, the- the court physician?" Merlin asked. The guard pointed in the direction we were supposed to go in and we went. When we got to the physician's quarters we walked in and looked for the man mother had told us about.

"Hello?" I called inside. Merlin pointed to a man one a bookshelf upstairs.

"Hello? Gaius?" Merlin called to the man. When he didn't answer Merlin cleared his throat. Gaius tripped over backwards from the bookshelf stairs and the railing brook behind his foot. I watched in terror as he fell when all of the sudden a mattress appeared under Gaius making him hit it before he hit the floor; I sighed a breath of relief.

"What did you just do?" Gaius asked suddenly getting off the bed.

"Erm..." Merlin and I stuttered over what to say, we've had to hide his magic before but normally we could easily run away before they could question us.

"Tell me!" Gaius ordered.

"I- I- I have no idea what happened." Merlin tried.

"If anyone had seen that..." Gaius warned.

"Er, no! That- that was, that was nothing to do with us. That- that was..." I tried providing an explanation, but how do you do that with what had happened?

"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it!"

"Nowhere." Merlin told him honestly.

"So how is it you know magic?" Gaius asked.

"I don't." Merlin told him, I just gave him a look from the corner of my eye. Not even here a full day and we already blew the magic secret. We weren't gong to last very long in this place.

"Where did you study? Answer me!" Gaius demanded of Merlin.

"I- I've never studied magic or, or been taught."

"Honestly, sir. He hasn't ever had any teachers, I should know. I've been with him nearly my entire life." I tried helping him. His mother was kind enough to give me a roof over my head when she found me wandering the woods, starving, cold and alone; I had to try and help the boy who became my brother and friend.

"Are you lying to me?" Gaius gave us a look as though daring us to lie to him ever.

"What do you want us to say?" I asked finally, tired of all this question and answering.

"The truth!" Gaius answered me.

"I was born like this!" Merlin revealed.

"That's impossible! Who are you?" the look on his face showed that he didn't believe my brother.

"Oh, erm..." Merlin pulled off his backpack which held the letter from our mother. "I have this letter." Merlin gave the letter to Gaius after pulling it out of his bag.

"I- I don't have my glasses." Gaius told us.

"I'm Merlin and this is my sister, Elizabeth." Merlin introduced us.

"Hunith's children?"

"Yes!" Merlin and I both said excitedly

"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!" Gaius said. Was he scolding us for being on time? Or did he just loss track of the days?

"It- it is Wednesday." I told Gaius, looking at him worriedly

"Ah, right then. You better put your bags in there." he pointed to a room behind him.

"You- you won't say anything about, erm..." Merlin asked, if mother trusted him then so should we, right?

"No. Although, Merlin, I should say thank you." we all smiled at each other then Merlin and I made our way to our new room. Inside the room were two beds, one on each side, and a couple of wardrobe for our belongings.

"We will have to ask Gaius for a sheet or something to cover our sides, wouldn't want to see each other dressing." I told him looking around the small area. It was small but perfect for the two of us.

"Yeah, that would be weird." we both laughed at the thought. Many people back at the village had said we would make a good couple, but we were to close to each other. We were sibling in all but blood.

The next day, Merlin woke up gasping in our new bed chamber.

"Are you okay?" I asked him worry all over my face.

"Yeah, just thought I heard something, that's all." We pulled the sheet Gaius had given us closed and changed out of our dirty clothes and into clean ones. ( /store/clothes/medieval-natural-linen-tunic-dress- anne-of-kiev) and entered the Physician's Chambers.

"I got you water. You didn't wash last night." Gaius told Merlin, he had reminded me to do so the night before.

"Sorry." Merlin apologized, we sat next to each other at a small table.

"Help yourselves to breakfast." Gaius pointed to a pot on the table in front of us. We put the watery porridge into bowls and started eating it. Gaius then knocked a bucket of water off the table and Merlin quickly stood and stopped it from stopping with magic. Gaius gasped at what he saw and we all looked at each other before Merlin let it drop.

"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?" Gaius asked him.

"I don't know any spells." Merlin told him, he'd been like this for as long as I can remember.

"So what did you do? There must be something." Gaius was so sure Merlin did something to do with a spell

"It just happens." I told Gaius as Merlin got a mop to clean it up.

"Well, we better keep you two out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you. Here." Gaius held a small sac on the table in front of us. "Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once."

"Okay." We said while I took the sac.

"And here." Gaius handed Merlin a plate with two sandwiches on it. We smiled at him as we took them. "Off you go. And Merlin, I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed." Merlin nodded and we went on our way. We ate the sandwiches as we walked down the Physician's Corridor and through the Square to deliver the medicine. We knocked on a door and a squinting old man answered the door.

"Erm, I brought you your medicine." Merlin said handing it to him and we started walking away.

"Oh, and Gaius said don't drink it all at…" I started not noticing Sir Olwin had started drinking it until he was done.

"I'm sure it's fine." Merlin said, pulling me away. We decided to explore the grounds after that. The town was small but all the people seemed to have felt safe inside the walls here, many people laughing and joking with each other. Children running around playing, it was peaceful. It felt as though I had been here once before, but I had no memory of it.

"Liz?" Merlin stopped me from going farther.

"Yeah?"

"You okay? You seemed to be somewhere else."

"I'm fine, let's just keep walking." I walked towards a drawbridge, Merlin running to catch up with me. I noticed a group of knights with a boy in front of them.

"Hey, what do you think they're doing?" I asked Merlin pointing them out to him.

"Probably training, but I don't know why the other one is there."

"He must be a serving boy, probably for the one in front."

"Where's the target?" The blonde boy in front asked the servant while the group behind him laughed.

"There, Sir?" He was scared of them, that was sure enough to see.

"It's into the sun?" The leader told him.

"But, it's not that bright." He wasn't wrong; the sun wasn't at its strongest point yet.

"A bit like you, then?" the leader insulted him and the knights laughed. Being a servant, the boy couldn't do anything about what was said and just looked at the ground for a moment.

"I'll put the target on the other end, shall I, Sir?" he asked, trying to be helpful. He picked up the target and started walking it to the shade for the pampered nobles. The leader of the group started picking up daggers smirking at the boy.

"Teach him a lesson. Go on, boy." A knight egged on the leader.

"This'll teach him." He told them playing with the daggers in his hand

"Yeah." Another knight laughed.

Haha. Teach him a lesson." I just shook my head at what they were doing, but since my station was about as high as a servant I had to hold my tongue. That was the way of the world, the royals and nobles got to do whatever they wanted while everyone else had to obey. The leader of the group threw a dagger at the target as it neared its destination.

"Hey! Hang on!" the boy jumped.

"Don't stop!" he commanded. The boy took a few steps back thinking that's what he meant. I had a feeling he was wrong.

"Here?" he asked.

"I told you to keep moving!" he threw another dagger and the boy started shuffling his feel it as he threw more dagger.

"Come on! Run!" the boy tried moving faster but the target was weighting him down.

"Do you want some moving target practice?" the leader asked the knights behind him. The boy finally dropped the target and it rolled over to us. Merlin put his foot on it and he couldn't pick it up.

"Hey, come on, that's enough." Merlin said looking at the leader.

"Oh, boy." I mumbled to myself, my bother the idiot.

"What?" the blonde walked up to us.

"You've had your fun, my friend." Merlin said smiling at him.

"I think we should leave now." I whispered to Merlin hoping to pull him away.

"To late now, do I know you?" he asked looking at both of us.

"Er, I'm Merlin. This is Elizabeth." He said holding out his hand.

"So I don't know you." He said ignoring the hand my brother held out. Merlin put his hand down knowing the man in front of us would take it.

"No."

"Yet you called me "friend."" The man said pointing out his words.

"That was my mistake." Merlin said smiling at him still.

"Yes, I think so."

"Yeah. I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass." Merlin started walking away from the group with me behind him.

"Or I one who could be so stupid." Merlin stopped walking and turned back to the man. I just shook my head at the stupidity of the male species.

"Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?" the blonde asked.

"No."

"Would you like me to help you?"

"Please, sir. Can't we be on our way? We're new here and my brother is a bit of an idiot." I told him, but both men ignored me.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Merlin told him still smiling.

"Why? What are you going to do to me?" the blond chuckled at him.

"You have no idea."

"Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come oooooon." The blonde egged him on. I stepped in front of my brother facing him.

"Merlin, no! You don't even know who he is." Merlin just pushed me aside and took a swing at the man but he caught it and bent his arm behind his back.

"I'll have you thrown in jail for that." The blonde told my brother holding him.

"What, who do you think you are? The King?" Merlin asked struggling.

"No. I'm his son, Arthur." Arthur then took Merlin out at the knees. As promised, Arthur had him thrown in jail. I just sighed and shook my head watching my brother leave. I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it opting to bow my head slightly to the prince before leaving to tell Gaius.

"Wait." I turned to see the prince following me.

"You had something you wished to say, my lord?" I asked respectfully when he caught up with me.

"He said your name was Elizabeth, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Who are your parents?"

"Birth or adopted?"

"Adopted? What do you mean?"

"Merlin's mother found me when I was about 10 years old, and I have no memories from before being found by her. The only thing I know for sure is my name."

"And what is it? Your name."

"Elizabeth Ainsworth. Why?" I asked.

"Ainsworth?" he stopped and looked at me curiously.

"Yes?" I stopped and looked at him.

"Their used to be a royal family with that name, could you be related to them?" he asked.

"Depends on if they had a daughter around my age and if I am, then why am I where I am now?" I walked away from the prince with all these questions in my head.

The next day Gaius and I walked down to the dungeon to get Merlin out.

"Merlin!" Gaius called. The guards opened the cell and we walked in.

"You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot." Gaius said to him.

"I'm sorry." I smiled at him slightly.

"You're lucky. I managed to pull a few strings to get you released." Gaius told him.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Merlin was so excited about getting out I'm surprised he didn't jump up and down. I laughed at him while Gaius gave him a disapproving look. "I won't forget this."

"Well, there is a small price to pay." Merlin looked confused at Gaius.

The price Merlin had to pay was to be is in the stocks for some time being pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables by the people in the town.

"Oh, no." Merlin ducked his head so his face wouldn't get covered with the food while Gaius and I laughed at him before walking away.

"Elizabeth!" I turned around to see Prince Arthur running up to me, Gaius gave me a strange look then walked away.

"Prince Arthur, what brings you to the town today?" I asked him as we started to walk.

"I spoke to my father and he remembers the Ainsworth family well. They had a daughter born close to when I was. He wishes to meet with you at the celebration feast."

"Sure, I don't see why not. Sadly, he will have to see me in a plain dress. I don't really have anything formal for the celebration." I told him with a small smile on my face.

"I'm sure we can find something for you." I almost laughed at him.

"And how are we going to do that? Are you going to sew it, my lord?" I could almost picture it and laughed a little.

"No, of course not, my father has decided to have a dress made for you. Will you accompany me to the palace?" he asked. I nodded my head and we continued walking. We talked about all sorts of things, but mostly about our different upbringings.

* * *

Later that day, Merlin and I were walking across the Square and passed Arthur and his gang as we walked through the LowerTown. I was telling him about what Arthur had told me and how scared I was about it. He was about to tell me something when Arthur started talking

"How's your knee-walking coming along?" Arthur asked Merlin but we kept walking away from the fight. "Aw, don't run away!" Merlin stopped and turned around.

"From you?" Merlin asked him.

"Oh no." I mumbled to myself.

"Thank God. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb." Arthur said sighing.

"Look, I've told you you're an ass. I just didn't realize you were a royal one." Merlin said. Arthur then looked at his men behind him. "Oh, what are you going to do? Get your daddy's men to protect you?" Merlin taunted.

"I could take you apart with one blow." Arthur laughed at him.

"I could take you apart with less than that." Merlin warned him.

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked him, his smile still on his face.

"Come on, then."

"Fight." The men egged them on. Merlin took off his jacket and gave it to me as Arthur laughed.

"Here you go." One of Arthur's knights handed him a mace, which he tossed at Merlin, but Merlin, having never really handled a mace before, didn't catch it. He picked it up to see Arthur swinging his mace with ease.

"Come on, then. I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth." Arthur told him.

"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" Merlin taunted him.

"You can't address me like that." That sounded as though he was trying to teach Merlin about how to speak to the royals. It would have seemed nice had Merlin heard the same thing.

"I'm sorry. H-How long have you been training to be a prat, My Lord?" Merlin gave a little bow and Arthur smiled a perturbed grin before starting to swing the mace at Merlin.

"Come on then, Merlin! Come on!" Arthur backed Merlin into the market stalls and the crowd continued to gather with me in front. Merlin then fell down.

"Haha. You're in trouble now." Arthur told him still swinging the mace.

"Oh God."

"Merlin!" I shouted as he looked around for something to help him. Arthur's mace then entangles with a couple of large hooks. Arthur untangled it and attacked again backing Merlin up again. Arthur then stepped into a box having it hit his shin making the crowd laugh.

"OW! Argh!" Arthur cried out in pain. Arthur went after him again only to trip and fall over dropping his mace. Merlin picked the mace up and started swinging it at Arthur

"Do you want to give up?" Merlin asked him.

"To you?"

"Do you? Do you want to give up?" Arthur backed up, catching his foot in a bucket and fell over backwards. Merlin, thrilled by this victory, looked up and spotted both Gaius and I and paused. Arthur attacked him from behind with a broom, knocking him to the ground. Guards picked up Merlin but Arthur stopped them from taking him to the dungeons again.

"Wait. Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one. There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it." With that the prince walked away and the crowd dispersed. Gaius, Merlin and I walked back to our chamber.

"How could you be so foolish?!" Gaius asked when we got back to our chambers.

"He needed to be taught a lesson." Merlin told him.

"Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!" This was going to be an interesting lecture. I sat at the table watching the two of them argue.

"What is there to master? I could move objects like that before I could talk!" Merlin countered him.

"Then, by now, you should know how to control yourself!" Gaius yelled back.

"I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got?! I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. If I can't use magic, I might as well die." Merlin went off to our bed chamber and I followed soon after. I laid his head on my shoulder. Even though he was taller than I was, everyone needs a should to lay on every so often. Gaius entered the chamber not to long later with a basket.

"Merlin? Sit up. Take your shirt off. Elizabeth if you wouldn't mind leaving for a bit."

"Of course not, the King is paying for me to have a dress made anyway. I'll be back later." I walked out to find someone.

"Elizabeth." I turned to see Arthur.

"Three times in one day, to what do I owe the honor?" I asked him.

"I was going to send someone for you but here you are."

"Yes, here I am. Whom am I supposed to meet with about the dress? Merlin is being treated for his bruises right now so I had a chance to pull away." I said giving him a look.

"Yeah, sorry about that but he had to be taught a lesson." I laughed at the phrase. "The royal tailor is this way." He led me to the tailor in silence. It wasn't as long of a walk as I expected and the tailor immediately started her work and Arthur left us to our conversations of dresses, designs and colors.

The next morning we woke to Gaius shouting at us.

"Oi! Have you seen the state of this room?!" I looked at the different sides of it. There had seemed to be an invisible line drawn where Merlin had clothes thrown all over the place while I did not.

"It just happens." Merlin tried.

"By magic?" Gaius asked skeptically.

"Yeah."

"Yes. Well, you can clear it up without magic. And then I want you to get me some herbs: henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana. Poor girl's suffering from nightmares." Gaius tossed some clothes at Merlin.

"Mmm, I know the feeling."

"What does that mean?" I asked him and he told me the story of his meeting with the dragon.

"That must have been weird, being told your destiny." I said pulling the curtains so we could dress in privacy.

"Next time I'll take you with me so you can meet him, maybe you have some big destiny." I laughed at him, why would I have a destiny? I didn't even know who I really was anymore." I after I dressed I left to go back to the tailor to finish the dress. Even though a rush job had to be placed on it, I just knew it would be one of the most beautiful gown I'd ever owned.

(The dress: user/xmrsdanifilth/media/Medieval%20Renaissance%20 Victorian%20Clothing% .html Her hair: . /-FSt-KsF1gjA/UVx0k8Ux0aI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/r_SnxqRdwvI/ s1600/Prome_ )

As I entered the banquet hall I walked straight at Merlin and Gaius. I glanced at Arthur and saw all his men stare.

"God have mercy." I heard him say.

"Hello." I greeted Gaius and Merlin.

"Who are you?" Merlin joked. I laughed and swatted his arm.

"I'm going to go get a drink, I'll see you later?" he nodded and I left.

"Elizabeth, you look well."

"Thank you, so do you."

"Would you like to meet my father?" I looked down and breathed deeply.

"I'm nervous about that. What he says could change everything about my life."

"I don't think that'll happen. At most you get a new station in life, new chambers in the palace and more family." He smiled at me.

"You know, you can be sweet when you want to be." I smiled up at him. He smiled at me and held out his hand for me to take. I put my hand in his and he led me to his father.

"Father, I'd like to introduce Elizabeth Ainsworth." I bowed respectfully to him.

"Your majesty, It's an honor to meet you." He smiled at me almost, it seemed, in shock.

"Ah, yes. Miss Ainsworth. Arthur tells me you don't know anything about your family." He said, I think he was trying to grasp what I knew.

"If my family is who he believes it to be, then no, I have no prior knowledge of them. Prince Arthur also said you might know if I belong to the Ainsworth family you knew?" I asked him. I had hope that they were but also feared it. Would Merlin and Gaius look at me differently is they were?

"I believe you are, you're the spitting image Queen Alexandra, except your eyes. King Robert had the same eyes you do. I have no doubt you are their daughter, but I'm sorry to inform you they died 11 years ago. I always assumed you had died with them. I wished you remembered how you survived." He told me.

"I just wish I knew them." He smiled sadly at me. "Come, we shall add another chair at the head table." He motioned for a servant to add another place setting next to Arthur's place. The king walked away to mingle with other while Arthur and I stood and talked some more before the entertainment was to begin.

"So it's Princess Elizabeth now. I said you'd rise in station." He told me.

"Yes I went from servant to royalty in one night. The tailor is going to have a lot of business from me. I only have my normal dresses." We laughed together then noticed the king signaling us to take our seats. Arthur once again held out his hand and I accepted it. He led me to my seat and sat next to me as his father remained standing to introduced Lady Helen.

"Before we continue with tonight festivities, I would like to introduce Princess Elizabeth Ainsworth, who, until now, was believed dead after her family was killed by an evil sorcerer. She will remain here, under my care until she sees fit to leave. We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and I many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora." He sat and we all applauded as the music began. When Lady Helen began her song it thought I had felt something but ignored it. Soon the court member began nodding off to sleep, the royal family, Morgana and I included. When we woke we had to pull off cobwebs, everyone muttering to themselves about how odd this was. Uther and Arthur stood up to see the woman who threatened Arthur's life lying on the floor. She raised herself up enough and threw the dagger at Arthur. Merlin pulled him out of harm's way towards me. The dagger slices into Arthur's chair as we fell to the floor and the woman died. Merlin and Arthur got up and both boys helped me up. We all stared at Merlin.

"You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid." The King told him.

"Oh, well..." Merlin stuttered and I smiled proudly at my brother.

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded." Uther insisted.

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness." Merlin tried.

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special." Uther smiled at him.

"Well..." Merlin tried stopping him again only to be ignored.

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant." I held in my laughter and applauded with everyone else.

"Father!" Arthur called to him. Arthur and Merlin looked away from each other unhappily.

Someone knocked on Merlin's chamber door and Gaius entered. I was packing my belongings once again to move rooms.

"Seems you're a hero." Gaius spoke to Merlin.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Merlin asked.

"No. I knew it from the moment I met you. When you saved my life, remember?" Gaius reminded him.

"But...that was magic." Merlin countered.

"And now, it seems, we finally found a use for it." Gaius told him.

"What do you mean?" I asked him pausing my packing.

"I saw how he saved Arthur's life." Gaius admitted.

"Oh, no." Merlin thought he was in trouble.

"Perhaps that's its purpose." Gaius told him.

"My destiny." Merlin sighed as I smiled and closed my bag.

"Indeed. This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me." I moved to see the book Gaius gave Merlin. Merlin unlatched it and looked inside it to see it's about magic.

"But this is a book of magic." Merlin told him.

"Which is why you must keep it hidden." Gaius told him.

"I will study every word." Merlin smiled at Gaius. Knocking was heard on the door of Gaius's chambers.

"Merlin, Prince Arthur wants you right away. Princess Elizabeth, I'm to escort you to your chambers when you're done packing."

"Your destiny's calling. You'd better find out what he wants." I told Merlin.

"Who knows, maybe both of our destinies are calling us." We smiled at each other and walked out to our new lives.


	2. Valiant

The morning after the I received my new chambers I was awoken by a girl, Amanda, shaking me slightly. Uther had hired her to be my maid after the feast when I found out my heritage. Uther had taken me under his care since my family was dead. The King had also requested I take all the lessons i missed since my parents had died and I'd gone missing. I found them very boring, but I bore it with a smile. Morgana, Gwen and I had also gotten close, so close I asked Morgana to teach me to fight in case I had needed to protect myself. She agreed and the three of us trained after my princess lessons. But all lessons had been postponed until after the tournament.

"Princess. I brought you breakfast." I lifted my head to look at her. She had on a simple red dress and had her blond hair up in a messy bun. "I also prepared a dress for you, would you like to dress before your meal?" I looked at the dress she had hung up up.

"Yes, please." I smiled. I got out of bed and went behind the privacy screen. She brought the dress over to me and helped me dress for the days events. Today was the first day of the tournament and I could almost say I was excited. "Thank you, Amanda."

"You're the first royal that I know of who says please and thank you to a servant." She told me with a smile.

"Yes but not many royals grew up on a farm." I said sitting down to have breakfast. "Would you like some? There's more than enough for me." I asked her looking at the plate.

"No, My lady. My mum cooked my sister and I breakfast before I came here." She smiled at me. I just nodded my head at her answer and ate my breakfast.

"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Liz or Elizabeth?" I smiled at her between bites of food.

"It wouldn't be proper." She told me, reminding me of the difference of stations once again.

"Oh, alright." I finished my food and made my way towards the window to look down on the square, Amanda tidying things up behind me. "How do you think things will go during the tournament?" I asked her.

"I believe Prince Arthur will win I just hope he has some good competition this year." she answered me.

"Will you be watching? In the stands? You're welcome to sit with Gwen, Morgana and me." I turned to her turning to watch her.

"My family was hoping to watch it all together." I nodded my head at her. After she was done cleaning she and I walked out of the room and down the the training grounds. Amanda went to join her family and I joined Gwen and Morgana as the competitors entered the arena. Uther struted past the front line of knights and started speaking to them and the crowd.

"Knights of the realm, it's a great honour to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur. Only one can have the honour of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces." a servant opened a box revealing the gold he was promising. "It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. The tournament begins!" We cheered as most of the knight left the area except Arthur and his opponent. Uther slapped his back and walked to his seat. The guards took Arthur and the other knight's capes then they put on their helmets. Arthur and the other knight fought and we all cheered as Arthur won. This is all that happened throughout the day, the crowd cheering for the victors and the losers leaving. That night the tournament knights queued up to meet Uther, Morganga, and I.

"Knight Valiant of the Western Isles, My Lord." He introduced himself to the King.

"I saw you fighting today. You have a very aggressive style." Uther told him.

"Well, as My Lord said, "To lose is to be disgraced."" Uther smiled at his answer.

"I couldn't agree more. Knight Valiant, may I present the Princess Elizabeth and the Lady Morgana, my wards." Knight Valiant to kiss Morgana's hand then my own.

"My Ladies." He greeted us.

"I saw you competing today." Morgana told him while I smiled politely at him

"I saw you watching. I understand the tournament champion has the honour of escorting My Lady to the feast." He said looking at me.

"That's correct." I confirmed.

"Then I will give everything to win the tournament." I smiled and nodded at him and he nods back.

"My Ladies." Valiant then walked over to the other knights. I turned when I heard Arthur talking with his father.

"Arthur."

"Father." Arthur looked over at Valiant before walking to Morgana and me.

"They all seem rather impressed by Knight Valiant." She told him, watching said knight.

"They're not the only ones." Arthur said looking at me. I just smiled at him.

"You're not jealous, are you?" I asked him.

"I don't see there's anything to be jealous of." he told me and my smile faded as he walked on.

"Could Arthur be any more annoying? I so hope Knight Valiant wins the tournament." I told Morgana and Gwen.

"You don't really mean that." Gwen told me and I just glanced at her.

"Yes, I do." I told her before turning back to the knights being introduced to us.

The next morning was the same as before, Amanda woke me only after everything was prepared then I met Morgana and Gwen in the stands. Arthur marched into the arena and acknowledged the crowd before his fight, which he won. During Valiant's fight he knocked down the other knight and pinned him with his shield. After a little while he knocked the man out. Gaius walked onto the field as the crowd cheered and I watched him look the knight over. He looked to me and gave me a look like he wanted me to meet him later. I nodded my head, acknowledging his wish and he walked off with the knight.

After the days events I met Gaius in his chambers.

"How is he doing?" I asked walking to the Sir Ewan and sitting at his side. Before Gaius could speak Merlin walked in and put Arthur's armour on the table.

"How is he?" Merlin asked his guardian.

"It's most odd. Look at this. See these two small wounds. Looks like a snake bite." He showed us the marks on the mans neck.

"How could he've been bitten by a snake? He was injured in the sword fight." Merlin asked.

"I don't know, but the symptoms are consistent with poisoning: slow pulse, fever, paralysis." Gaius explained to us.

"Can you heal him?" I asked him.

"Well, if it is a snake bite, I'll have to extract venom from the snake that bit him to make an antidote." Gaius told us.

"What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?" Merlin asked, and I feared the worst.

"Then I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for him. He's going to die." Gaius told us, I picked up and held Sir Ewan's hand when something came to my attention.

"He was fighting Knight Valiant." I told Merlin.

"What's that?" Gaius asked us, not fully hearing what I told my brother.

"Nothing." Merlin covered then left.

"I'm going to get some water, would you like something, My Lady?" I looked up at Gaius's question.

"First, don't call me that. If you and Merlin start calling me that I'll feel alone in this place. Second, could you tell Amanda where I am. I don't want her to worry that she's lost me." I smiled at him before taking a cool wash cloth and wiping the sweat off Sir Ewan's brow.

"Of course, Elizabeth. If I may say so, you will make a wonderful queen one day. You're caring nature will be good for your kingdom." I looked at him in shock as he left to fetch more water and do what I asked. Not to long later Merlin came back in and sat at Sir Ewan's other side.

"How are you doing, Liz?" I looked at my brother.

"I feel as though I might as well be part of the trophy for this thing right now. I just wish I knew what I was supposed to do here, how I can help you with your destiny. I'm surrounded by people all the time, but I'm so lonely now." he grabbed my hand and smiled at me.

"You always have me, sis. Whenever you need to talk, I'll be here." I smiled at him and looked up as Gaius entered the chambers.

"I've just seen one of the snakes in Valiant's shield come alive. He's using magic." Merlin told us.

"Are you sure?" Gaius asked him.

"The snake ate a mouse - one swallow, straight down. Sir Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must've been one of the snakes from the shield. I have to tell Arthur." Merlin made to walk out when Gaius asked him.

"Is there any chance you might be mistaken?" Gaius asked him.

"Merlin know magic when he see it." I defended him.

"Perhaps, but is there proof?" Gaius asked and I looked down, knowing what he was getting at.

"Don't you believe me?" Merlin asked him, the hurt he felt on his face.

"Of course I do, but I fear you'll land yourself in trouble. How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chambers?" Gaius told him.

"What does that matter? He's using magic to cheat in the tournament!" Merlin explained to him.

"Gaius is right, Merlin. You can't go accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The King would never accept the word of servant over the word of a knight." I told him and his pain filled eyes turned to me.

"What? So what I say doesn't count for anything?" Merlin asked us.

"I'm afraid it counts for very little as far as the King is concerned. That's the way it is." Gaius told him.

"The King is all about station here. Don't forget that, Merlin." I reminded him and he nodded at us, the pain and hurt leaving his face.

The next day during Arthur's fight I absently stroked Morgana's cloak at the sight of the knight he had to fight.

"You're not worried, are you?" Morgana asked as she and Gwen smiled at my hand motions.

"No." I told them moving my hands to my lap. Both Arthur and Valiant won their matches making me worry more about the final. After the events, I went back to Gaius's chambers to sit by Sir Ewan side again. Merlin entered not to long later and began cleaning Arthur's armour while sitting next to the injured knight. Gaius entered with a bucket of water and poured some into a bowl and placed it next to me.

"Thank you, Gaius." I smiled at him and took a cloth to try and keep Sir Ewan cool.

"Merlin, about what I said yesterday.. .Look, Uther wouldn't really listen to you or me, but you are right. We can't let Valiant get away with this. The only person he would listen to is Elizabeth." I looked up from my task at the older man.

"He wouldn't believe her or even Arthur without proof, and I don't want to get her into trouble with him." Merlin told him.

"Well, if we could cure Ewan, he could tell the King that Valiant was using magic. The King would believe another knight. But how we get the antidote...Well, that's another matter." after Gaius said that Merlin dropped the armour and ran out.

"Merlin?" Gaius and I called after him.

"What was that about?" he asked me.

"I wish I knew." I told him. When Merlin returned he had a snake head in his hand.

"Here." Merlin put the head on the table and Gaius got to work to extract the venom from the head.

"I'll get started preparing the antidote." Gaius told us.

"I'm going to tell Arthur." Merlin told us beginning to run out.

"You'll need this." Gaius handed the snake head to Merlin. "And Merlin, what you did was very brave." Merlin smiled at him and ran out.

"Go and get some dinner, Elizabeth. I'm sure you're tired and hungry." I put the cloth down on the rim of the bowl and got up with it. I put the bowl on the table.

"Thank you, Gaius. Don't be afraid to call me Liz, it never hurt anyone I know." I smiled at him and walked out of his chambers for my own. As I walked I thought about all that had happened in the last few days. I hardly noticed my door until I nearly bumped into it.

"My Lady?" I turned to see Amanda not to far from me with a tray of food in her hands.

"Yes, sorry Amanda. I was lost in thought." I smiled at her and opened the door allowing us both entry.

"You've been spending a lot of time in the physician's chambers." She said as she set up my dinner.

"Yes, I've been helping Gaius with Sir Ewan. I wanted to make sure he would make a full recovery." I told her and sat down at my small table.

"That's very kind of you. I don't know many nobles or royals who would willingly do that let alone admit that." her head shot up as she looked at me, er eyes wide with realizing what she just said. "Forgive me, I was not my place to say..."

"That's fine, I actually rather liked it. I want you to be honest with me on what you think." I told her causing her to relax and smile at me. We spent the rest of the evening talking as I ate and prepared for bed. We only stopped when it became to late for me to keep my eyes opened.

The next morning I woke to Amanda calling my name.

"Princess. The Prince has called the court together. You must dress and eat quickly." I rolled out of bed and we went through the morning routine and walked to the throne room. Amanda wasn't allowed in but I went and stood close to Merlin. We spoke about some nonimportant matters when Uther entered the room.

"Why have you summoned the court?" Uther asked Arthur as he walked to the head of the room.

"I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the tournament." Arthur told him with confidence. Uther looked at him for a moment then turned to Valiant.

"Valiant, what do you have to say to this?" Uther asked the accused knight.

"My Lord, this is ridiculous. I've never used magic. Does your son have any evidence to support this outrageous accusation?" Valiant asked him looking at Arthur.

"Do you have evidence?" Uther asked his son.

"I do." Arthur motioned for Merlin to come forward. Merlin handed the snake head to the King. Uther inspected the head before turning to Valiant.

"Let me see this shield." Valiant held the shield for him to inspect, but as his hand drew closer to it Arthur drew his sword.

"Be careful, My Lord." Uther glanced at his son then continued to inspect the shield.

"As you can see, My Lord, it's just an ordinary shield." Valiant told the King.

"He's not going to let everyone see the snakes come alive." Arthur pointed out to the King.

"Then how am I to know that what you say is true?" Uther asked him.

"I have a witness. Knight Ewan was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. Its venom made him grievously ill, however, he has received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic." Arthur said and I looked behind me to see Merlin and Gaius whispering to each other but no Sir Ewan.

"Where is this witness?" Uther asked Arthur

"He should be here..." I saw him look at Gaius and Merlin out of the corner of my eye.

"Where's Ewan?" Arthur asked his servant lowly.

"He's dead." Merlin told him and I closed my eyes at this. We should have seen this outcome and kept someone with him at all times.

"I'm waiting!" Uther demanded.

"I'm afraid the witness is dead." Arthur confessed to his father looking down slightly before looking back to Uther.

"So you have no proof to support these allegations. Have you seen Valiant using magic?" Uther confirmed what we were all hearing before asking the very important question that could get my brother locked up.

"No. But my servant fought one of the snakes from..."

"Your servant? You made these outrageous accusations against a knight on the word of your servant?" Uther interrupted him.

"I believe he's telling the truth!" Arthur told him.

"My Lord, am I really to be judged on some hearsay from a boy?" Valiant asked the King.

"I've seen those snakes come alive!" Merlin stupidly told the King.

"How dare you interrupt?! Guards!" Uther commanded and the guards began taking Merlin away. But surprisingly Valiant stopped them.

"My Lord."

"Wait!" They paused at their Kings demand.

"I'm sure he was merely mistaken. I wouldn't want him punished on my account." Valiant told him. I looked at him suspiciously.

"You see? This is how a true knight behaves - with gallantry and honour." Uther told Arthur and gave the signal for Merlin to be released.

"My Lord, if your son made these accusations because he's afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept his withdrawal." Valiant told the King looking at Arthur.

"Is this true? Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?" Uther looked at Arthur in shock.

"No!"

"Then what am I to make of these allegations?" Uther asked Arthur.

"Obviously there has been a misunderstanding. I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my apology." Arthur apologized to Valiant.

"Accepted." and with that being said the court was released. Arthur and Merlin quickly fled the room with me hot on their trail.

"I believed you, I trusted you, and you made me look a complete fool." Arthur told Merlin once they were in his chambers.

"I know it didn't go exactly to plan." Merlin told him.

""Didn't go to plan"?! My father and the entire royal court think I'm a coward! YOU HUMILIATED ME!" Arthur yelled at him and I winced closing the door.

"We can still expose Valiant." Merlin told him.

"I no longer require your services." I looked in shock at Arthur as he said those words.

"You're sacking me?" Merlin asked, not able to mask the hurt in his voice.

"I need a servant I can trust." Arthur told him.

"You can trust me!" Merlin tried to convince him.

"And look where it got me this time. Get out of my sight!" Merlin ran out at Arthur's command and Arthur glared after him. "What do you want Elizabeth?" he asked me angrily.

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't do anything rash, like sacking Merlin." I told him, fury covering every word.

"You came to late then. I need..."

"Yes, I know what you need. I caught the words you used. Merlin came to you knowing you and your father wouldn't believe him. But he chanced it, he was braver than any man I know in that moment."

"Brave? How was that brave?" I glared at him.

"Knowing you'll be called a liar and having someone you trust throw you out on your face, and yet going to that same person with that information. That is something very brave of him. Merlin doesn't trust to many people like he trusts you and you threw him out. What kind of man does that make you? What kind of king will that make you in the future?" I ran out before he could speak and went to find Merlin. I found him in his chambers, crying.

"Merlin?" I sat next to him on his bed and held him to me. "Shhh, it'll be alright. I promise."

"I'm going to see the dragon tonight, will you come with me?" he asked as he calmed down.

"Of course."

That night we went down to the Dragon's cave past the guards.

"Where are you? I just came to tell you: whatever you think my destiny, whatever it is you think I'm supposed to do, you've got the wrong person! That's it. Goodbye." Merlin called to it before we turned to leave.

"If only it were so easy to escape one's destiny. I see you brought the little queen with you this time." The Dragon laughed at him flying down to perch himself in front of us.

"What do you mean, "little queen"?" I asked him.

"It is your destiny to support the once and future king in all his decisions and to remain by his side." He told me.

"Yeah, that's not happening. Arthur thinks to much on his appearance and what others make of him for me to ever support him in any way." I told him defiantly.

"We shall see, young princess."

"How can it be my destiny to protect someone who hates me?" Merlin asked him.

"A half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole. Very soon you shall learn that." The Dragon told him.

"Oh, great. Just what I needed, another riddle." Merlin said sarcastically.

"That your and Arthur's path lies together is but the truth."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Merlin asked him, expecting an answer.

"You know, young warlock, this is not the end. It is the beginning." He told him before flying off.

"Just give me a straight answer!" Merlin called after him before we left, our minds full with what he told both of us.

The next day I sat in the stands and watched Arthur and Valiant enter the arena. They both put their helmets on and prepared to fight. During the fight Arthur knocked off Valiant's helmet then removed his own and they both pulled down their mail coifs. Valiant knocked Arthur to the ground and stepped on his shield. When Arthur got off the ground Valiant disarmed him, and attacked him. But before he could strike Arthur caught his fist. Valiant pinned Arthur against a wall, but Arthur shoved him off. When they were a fair distance the snakes came out of the shield and the crowd stood and backed away as much as possible in surprise.

"What are you doing? I didn't summon you!" Valiant looked down at the snakes in shock.

"He is using magic." Uther said.

"And now they see you for what you really are." Arthur told him but Valiant only chuckled at the prince and sent the snakes to the ground.

"Kill him!" he comanded his two remaining snakes. I grabbed the sword from the knight standing next to me and threw it to Arthur.

_"_Arthur!" Arthur caught it and swung at Valiant and the snakes, decapitating the reptiles and disarming Valiant and running him threw. After Valiant dropped the crowd cheered loudly for their champion. After Arthur walked away the stands started clearing and Amanda quickly pulled me away from everyone to get ready for the banquet. She already had my dress hanging up set everything else up for my hair, jewlery and crown, which I was now required to wear on formal occasions. Once everything was perfect I walked down to the banquet hall waiting for Arthur to be announced.

"My honourable guests, I give you Prince Arthur, your champion." the court applauded as Arthur walked in the throne room. He bowed slightly and offered his arm to me.

_"_My Lady." I curtsied back to him.

_"_My champion."

**"**Has your father apologised yet for not believing you?" I asked him as we walked up to him.

"He'll never apologise. I hope, uh, you're not disappointed Valiant's not escorting you." He told me remembering our conversation the other day.

"Turns out he wasn't really champion material." he turned to me and I smiled at him. When we reached the King and bowed to him. Everyone then went back to enjoying the festivities.

"That was some tournament final." Arthur said turning to me with a smile on his face.

"Tell me about it. It's not every day a girl gets to save her prince." I said, mostly to myself.

"Uh, I wouldn't say I needed exactly saving. I'm sure I would've thought of something." I looked at him with slight shock on my face.

"So you're too proud to admit you were saved by a girl." I said.

"Because I wasn't." He said looking confused by my words.

"You know what? I wish Valiant was escorting me." I told him, fed up with his antics.

"Me too. Then I wouldn't have to listen to you." Arthur said.

"Fine!"

**"**Fine." I turned and stormed off to talk to Gwen, Morgana and Amanda.

"Can you believe Arthur? He's in complete denial about needing help." I told them_._

"That's just his pride talking. Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Morgana told me.

"Perhaps." I smiled at them and we all laughed.


	3. The Mark of Nimueh

Some weeks had passed since the tournament and everyone fell into a normal routine. Amanda would wake me in the morning and we would talk as I got ready and ate. I would then meet Uther and Arthur for my royal lessons, occasionally a female teacher would pop in and do the teaching while Uther and Arthur would either watch or discuss business. During the lessons Arthur and I had gotten closer and spent a lot of time just talking about nothing. I'd noticed Uther watching us every once in a while with a smile on his face before Arthur would gain my attention once more. Most of the princess lessons would go through lunch so the three of us would dine together and discuss items that were discussed during the lessons. After those lessons I would meet Morgana and Gwen for training, which took most of the afternoon. In the evenings I would meet with Merlin and Gaius just to talk about the day. Merlin had come far in his training with magic and medicine. Then Merlin and I would leave to attend to dinner. There were times when Arthur and I dined together so the four of us would talk about anything and everything. This seemed to a comfortable routine for everyone. Every once in a while something would happen and we would have to differ from it, but that was life.

One day, during my lessons with the King and his son a guard brought a man to us. The man was white and his eyes were pure blue.

"Arthur, bring Gaius here." Arthur nodded his head and left the room quickly. Arthur returned informing us Gaius had been summoned which was proving not to long later by Gaius appearing. Uther pointed to the man before us and Gaius looked him over.

"What's happened to him?" Uther asked after the physician's check was done.

"I don't know, Sire. It's the second case I've seen today." Gaius informed us.

"Why didn't you report it to me?" Uther asked.

"I was attempting to find the cause." Gaius told him, calming Uther down.

"What did you conclude?"

"I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. The scientific process is a long one." Gaius told us, making my mind jump to magic. How could someone do something like this?

"What are you concealing from me?" Uther asked him.

"Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying in 24 hours, and it's spreading fast." Gaius explained to us.

"What is the cause?" Uther asked him.

"I think you should say that the cause, the most likely cause, is sorcery." Gaius told him. Uther pulled Arthur to the side not to far from me.

"We must find who did this." he told his son.

"I will, father." Arthur promised.

"Conduct door to door searches. Increase your presence in the town. Double the guards on all the gates. And lend the physician your servant." Uther was scared, I'd never seen him like this before.

"Merlin? But..." Arthur tried arguing with him.

"I'm going to need Gaius to find a cure. He needs all the help we can give him. If Gaius is right, believe me, this city will be wiped out. This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We have to find this sorcerer, and quickly." Uther told him.

"Yes, father." Arthur said. They came back to me and Arthur put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me away from the body.

"With this going on I don't want you wandering out of the castle without an escort with you. Is that understood?" The King asked me. I simply nodded my head to him. Arthur signaled some men to come and take the body out of the room. I turned my head so my eyes were hidden in his chest and he just held me lightly.

"Come." Arthur pulled me out of the room after everyone had left. We walked with him holding me all the way to my room. When we arrived he sat me down at a chair behind a small table where a book I had started was laying.

"Are you alright?" he asked kneeling down before me. I stared down at him and smiled.

"It's not the first dead body I've seen, Arthur. But seeing someone like that, knowing nothing anyone could have done would help. That's the part that hurts." I told him leaning back into my chair and looking at the sky from the closest window.

"Hey, look at me." I turned my head to him. "We will find a cure, then we can help everyone who's been affected and stop this thing from spreading." he smiled at me and I smiled back.

"I trust you, Arthur. And I trust Gaius to find what's wrong, but how long will that take? How many will die until then?" my smile faded.

"I have to go find this sorcerer before he can get away. I'll come back to check on you." He kissed my forehead and left my chambers. I went back to staring out my window. Since I was confined to the palace, I couldn't really do much. So I picked up my book and read for the rest of the day, waiting for Arthur to return. When he did return, he had brought me something to eat and drink.

"This is unexpected." I smiled at him and put my book down.

"Yes, well, I thought you might be hungry." he placed the food down showing two plates then placed the glasses on the table then a pitcher.

"Is that water?" I asked his trying to look in it.

"No, I thought it was more of a wine kind of evening." he smiled at me. I laughed slightly and went to get another chair for him to sit. "No, don't move. I'll get everything for us." I sat back down and watched him move around the room. When he finally pulled up a chair, he smiled at me and motioned me to eat while pouring some wine in my glass.

"I hope you didn't cook." I told him taking a bite.

"No, I didn't. I can promise I will probably never cook for anyone. If I did, you have permission to throw it out." he told me making me laugh. For the rest of the dinner we ate, talked and laughed until he had to leave so I could ready myself for bed.

"Thank you, Arthur. For everything."

"I don't know what you mean." I gave him a look. "Your welcome." he finally said. I smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek before closing my door for the evening.

* * *

The next day I awoke as I usually did, with Amanda waking me but instead of going to lessons I stayed in my room and read some more. I paused to open my window and look outside when I saw them. A line of the dead covered in white. I looked away from the courtyard. I spent my day in my room reading once more until my meals came in. This time Arthur didn't bring in dinner, Amanda did. We talked and she told me everything that had happened from the town.

"Have they found a cure? Or how this disease is being spread?" I asked her as she brought dinner that night.

"No, but I heard Gaius was close to finding everything out." I smiled at her and ate slowly that night, thinking about all that happened.

* * *

The next afternoon I was summoned out of my room for a meeting. Shortly after I arrived Arthur entered with guards behind him dragging Gwen into the room.

"Please listen to me I have done nothing, please! I swear I haven't done anything!" Gwen told everyone in the room as the guards dropped her to the floor

"Well done." Uther said to Arthur.

"Why will no one believe me?! He got better, he just recovered. I didn't do anything!" She swore looking at all of us.

"I believe you. Perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal. Have you thought of that? Perhaps he recovered naturally." Morgana said as she entered the room standing next to her maid servants side.

"I believe her as well." I said standing on Gwen's other side.

"And what of this poultice that was found?" Uther asked the three of us.

"What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice!" Gwen tried to convince him.

"It was found in your house. Undo this enchantment. Put an end to this contagion." Uther commanded her.

"I can't!" She tried telling him once more.

"I will show you no mercy." he turned back to the throne.

"I am not a witch. I don't know how to stop the illness!" Gwen tried again.

"If you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand and I must find you guilty..." Uther told her.

"But I told you, I..."

"It is therefore my duty to pronounce judgment. And under the circumstance I have no choice but to sentence you to death." Uther told her, ignoring all she said.

"No."

"I can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you." he turned his back on her as guards grabbed her once more.

"No! No!"

"Take her away." the guards dragged her backwards out of the room.

"Please, no! I'm innocent! Please, please, no! Please help me! Please, I beg you! No!" the Courtiers left, leaving Morgana, Uther, Arthur and myself.

"I know Gwen, she's my maidservant, not an enchantress." Morgana told him walking to him.

"Have you ever seen an enchantress? Believe me, they bear no sign, no mark. There is no sense of evil in the eye." Uther told her.

"I've seen the way the girl works. Her fingers are worn, her nails are broken. If she was a sorceress, why would she do this? Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers?" I tried defending Gwen.

"Like an idle king!" Morgana compared him to a witch.

"You have no right!" Uther said glaring at us. I might not have said the final words but I left it open.

"You have no right to cast a judgement on that girl!" Morgana told him.

"I have a responsibility to take care of this kingdom! I take no pleasure in this!"

"But you're sentencing the wrong person!" I told him. "What happens then? We still have the people dying and now we'd lose a wonderful worker and good person."

"She's right, Father. You hear the word magic, you no longer listen." Arthur said standing up for us and Gwen.

"You saw it for yourself. She used enchantments." Uther told him.

"Yes, maybe. But to save her dying father, that doesn't make her guilty of creating a plague. One's the act of, of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart." Arthur told his father.

"I have witnessed what witchcraft can do. I have suffered at its hand. I cannot take that chance. If there is the slightest doubt about this girl, she must die or the whole kingdom may perish." Uther said sitting in his chair.

"I understand that." Arthur told him.

"One day you may become King. Then you will understand. Such decisions must be made. There are dark forces that threaten this kingdom." Uther told his son.

"I know. Witchcraft is an evil, father. So is injustice. Yes, I am yet to be King, and I don't know what kind of king I will be, but I do have a sense of the kind of Camelot I would wish to live in. It would be where the punishment fits the crime." I smiled at Arthur's response.

"I fear you're right. She's played with fire, and sadly she must die by fire." Uther got up and walked to the window.

I choose that moment to leave the room with Morgana and went back to my chambers. I looked out my window at the rows of dead and tears excaped my eyes for the families who mow had to bury their loved ones.

"Princess, I brought you something to drink." I looked at the door to see Amanda with a glass of water.

"Thank you, Amanda. Just put it by the bed, I'll get it when I need it." I looked back outside, humming a song. I don't know where I'd heard it before, but it seemed to fit. I walked to my bed and got ready for the night with Amanda's help. I lied down and stared at the ceiling.

"Good night, princess." She said smiling.

"Night Amanda." I rolled over on my side and closed my eyes. During the night, I had awoken and drank some of the water before going back to sleep peacefully.

* * *

The next morning, I heard Amanda come in but I could barely move.

"Pnnicess?" I heard her call out. I heard her walk towards where I was looking. She dropped whatever she was carrying and gasped. She ran out of the room, crying. Not long later I heard more people come in my room.

"Liz? Lizzy? Oh, God." Merlin kneeled in front of me, tears in his eyes.

"Hey. I'll be fine. You and Arthur will do something magnificent. I believe in you." I smiled at him and the tears started falling. I noticed someone behind him and I saw Arthur and Gaius wasn't to far off. Arthur also looked close to tears while Gaius looked what he could see of me over.

"It's the same disease. I'm sorry, I have no cure." I looked to Merlin and Arthur.

"Like I said, I have faith I'll live to see tomorrow." I smiled at them before closing my eyes to sleep once more.

* * *

"Elizabeth? Come on, wake up." I opened my eyes to see Arthur in front of me again.

"Hey." I smiled at him. I felt better. "You did it. Whatever was causing this illness, you stopped it." My smile widened at him and I hugged him tightly. He hugged me back just as tightly.

"I was worried I'd lost you." He said not letting go.

"I'm not that easy to lose." I backed away from him with a smile.

"Get up and get dressed, I'll send for Amanda. My father wishes to see you." I nodded my head and he turned to get Amanda.

"Arthur." he turned back to me.

"Thank you." He smiled and left the room. I got out of bed and walked over to pick out a dress for the rest of the day. I picked a light blue one and went behind the screen and started to change.

"My Lady?"

"I'm here, Amanda. Can you help me with this fastening? I can't quite get it." I felt her hands helping me with my dress. I turned and smiled at her until I noticed her eyes were red and puffy.

"Amanda? What's wrong?" I put my hand on her arm.

"I thought..."

"You thought I was going to die? Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." I walked out from behind the curtain and made my way out of the room.

"Elizabeth." I looked ahead to see Arthur. I smiled at him as he walked up to me. "May I join you?"

"Of course." we started walking in a comfortable silence towards the throne room.

"I was worried about you." he told me.

"I don't see why, I knew you would do it." I told him as the doorway became closer.

"How did you know? None of us knew what and how to beat that thing." he stopped and grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"I had faith in you and Merlin. I knew you would find a way to make everything okay." I continued walking towards the door and heard him following me, catching up to me. Arthur and I entered the throne room to see Gaius and Uther talking.

"Father." Uther and Gaius looked at us and smiled. Uther walked up to me and took my hands in his and kissed them.

"Elizabeth. I'm so glad to see you're okay."

"I'm just glad to be walking and talking again. I have thanked your son for what he has done." I looked back to Arthur and he smiled down at me.

"Go release the maid from the dungeons. She's free to go and cleared of all charges." I looked at Uther in shock at his words. He just looked down at me and I smiled at him.

"Thank you." He just nodded at me before Arthur and I left.


	4. The Poisoned Chalice

**Hello loyal readers! So I just wanted to put a small note in here to say that if anyone has an idea they think would be good for the story then let me know what it is and I'll try to work it in if I can in a chapter somewhere. I always want to hear what yall think of it and I love hearing the ideas from someone else. Don't be shy and keep it in, just review with the idea in there or pm me. **

**Thx**

**Sanura**

* * *

Lord Bayard and his men had arrived in Camelot and were to meet Uther in thr throne room. Uther had requested my presence there and, since I am royalty, I accepted. When they met each other, each man had a number of men at his back and they met in the middle.

"Camelot welcomes you, Lord Bayard of Mercia. The treaty we sign today marks an end to war and a beginning to a new friendship between our people." Uther greeted as the men grasoed arms. Everyone from both parties applauded at the sign of peace.

I was speaking with Gaius in the Upper Corridor about some headaches I'd had when he passed Merlin carrying a heavy bag.

"Why do I always get landed with the donkey work?" Merlin stopped to ask us.

"You're a servant, Merlin. It's what you do." Gaius told him.

"My arms will be a foot longer by the time I get this lot inside." Merlin said making me laugh.

"It's character building. As the old proverb says, hard work breeds..." Gaius couldn't think of the rest, so I decided to help.

"A harder soul." I said looking at Merlin smiling.

"There is no way that's a proverb. You just made that up." he said looking between the two of us. "If it really does breed a harder soul then why don't you do some work Liz?" he said offering me a share of his workload.

"It wouldn't be proper for a princess to do your work, Merlin. If anyone saw then I'd be in trouble." I told him knowingly.

"And we didn't make it up." Gaius said taking the conversation off the subject of me working to something lighter. A woman fell right in front of Merlin and he bent down to help her.

"Sorry." the woman appoligized for falling in front of him.

"It's alright." Merlin said picking up some of her stuff.

"Excuse me." She said trying to take it back and stand up with everything in her hands.

"Let me give you a hand with that." he took some of the items for her and looked up into her face.

"Hi. I'm Merlin." he said as they stood.

"Cara. You're Arthur's servant. That must be such an honour." she said after they shook hands.

"Oh, yeah. It is. Well, you know, someone's got to keep the place running." Merlin told her and I raised my eyebrow at his comment.

"Thank you, Merlin."

"Hmm?" she motioned down at the pillow he had picked up and he glanced at it.

"Oh, right. Yeah. Er, no problem." he said handing it back to her

"It was nice meeting you." Merlin watched her as she left to do her job.

"Shouldn't you be busy running the place?" Gaius asked him as I held in my laughter. Merlin gave us a look and continued on his way as Gaius and I laughed at him. After that brief encounter I returned to my chambers to get ready for the ceremony.

"Princess, I thought you might like to wear a red dress tonight." Amanda said after I walked in. She was going to wear a simple red dress with golden embrodery on it. She wasn't part of the court but she was going to, as she put it, not let me come back to my room without the chance of a hangover. We spent sometime looking at the dresses I'd had made for me when I found the perfect dress. (pic on profile). I wore red heels and a silver necklace with it as well as my tiara.

"So? How do I look?" I asked her spinning around.

"Like a queen." I gave her a look and smiled at her.

"I'm not ready to be queen yet." I told her looking in my mirror. I was afraid to leave my room with Arthur's room next door to mine. After I had gotten sick and nearly died, he spent everyday for as long as he could with me. My feelings had started to grow for him, and that's where my fear came from. I heard a knock on the door and I froze. Amanda went to get the door.

"Prince Arthur. How can I help you?" She asked him bowing slightly.

"Is Princess Elizabeth in?" I heard him ask.

"Yes, would you like me to get her?" she asked him politly.

"Can I come in?" he asked her after a slight pause. She looked to me and I nodded to her. She opened the door more to allow him entry and then closed it behind him. She then walked over to me and started messing with my hair slightly. We had decided I was going to keep it down so it could fall in beautiful waves of curls.

"Wow." I looked at Arthur in the mirror and watched his face.

"Arthur. Can I help do anything for you?" I asked as Amanda finished with my hair. He seemed to snap himself out of his trance and straightened himself.

"I came to escort you to the Ceremonies Hall." He told me and I smiled.

"Alright." I stood and joined him by the door. He opened the door for Amanda and myself and we went to the hall. When we arrived everyone was mingling but avoided a center table holding the treaty. Uther and Bayard arrived shortly after Arthur and I did and they walked to the table to sign the document laying there. Arthur and I stood side my side behind Uther and watched Bayard sign the treaty. I noticed Arthur glance behind us and looked back to see Merlin wearing a ridiculous outfit with a fethered hat on his head. I laughed silently and turned back to see Uther signing the treaty. He and Lord Bayard then grasped arms and the hall exploded with appaluds. Arthur escorted me to my seat as Bayard began his speech.

"People of Camelot, for a great many years we have been mortal enemies, and the blood of our men stains the ground from the walls of Camelot to the gates of Mercia. And though we remember those who have died, we must not allow any more to join them." a serving girl brought him a box. When it opened it revealed two silver goblets. "As a symbol of our goodwill, and of our newfound friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets to you, Uther, and to your son, Arthur, in the hope that our friendship may last. The wounds we received in battle are nothing compard to the family and friends lost in battle. Tonight we toast a new beginning for our peoples. We look towards a future free from the toils of war. And may the differences from our past remain there. To your health, Uther." Everyone stood to toast. "Arthur." Arthur began to try and drink out of the goblet only to be stopped by Bayard's words. "Princess Elizabeth." I nodded at him and raised my goblet slightly. "The Lady Morgana. The people of Camelot." Arhur started to drink only to be interupted again by his father.

"And to fallen warriors on both sides." Everyone started to drink when Merlin interupted us this time.

"Stop!" I looked at Merlin as he ran in grabbing Arthur's goblet. "It's poisoned! Don't drink it!" Merlin ran inbetween us and Bayard.

"What?" Uther asked him.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur asked giving a look.

"Bayard laced Arthur's goblet with poison." Merlin said, eyes never leaving the King's.

"This is an outrage!" Bayard and his men drew their swords followed by the knights of Camelot.

"Order your men to put down their swords." Camelot's guards rushed in. "You are outnumbered." Uther told him.

"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!" Bayard told him.

"On what grounds do you base this accusation?" Uther asked the boy in front of us.

"I'll handle this." Arthur told his father. Arthur then skirted around the table after I moved out of the way. "Merlin, you idiot. Have we been at the slow gin again?" Arthur grabbed my bother and took the goblet from him, leading him closer to the table.

"Unless you want to be strung up, you will tell me why you think why you think it's poisoned now." Uther said leaning over the table.

"He was seen lacing it." Merlin told him.

"By whom?" Uther asked.

"I can't say." I shook my head, great time to be keeping a secret.

"I won't listen to this anymore." Bayard told Uther. Uther walked around the table and stared at Bayard. I walked closer to Arthur and Merlin, standing between the two. I was worried what Uther was going to do.

"Pass me the goblet." Arthur passed the goblet to his father. Uther looked into the goblet as though he'd see the poison floating around in it.

"If you're telling the truth..." Uther trailed off looking at Bayard.

"I am." he insisted.

"Then you have nothing to fear, do you?" Bayard sheathed his sword and reached for the goblet to drink out of it.

"No." he removed the goblet from Bayard's reach. "If this does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself." Bayard snorted at his comment. Uther then held the goblet to Merlin. "He'll drink it."

"But if it is poisoned, he'll die!" I reminded Uther.

"Then we'll know he was telling the truth." Uther said glancing at me.

"And what if he lives?" Bayard asked him.

"Then you have my apologies, and you can do with him as you will." Uther told Bayard looking away from Merlin to the man in front of him as he spoke then back to my brother.

"Uther, please! He's just a boy! He doesn't know what he's saying!" Gaius tried explaining to him.

"Then you should've schooled him better." Uther told the man.

"Merlin, apologize. This is a mistake. I'll drink it." Arthur said trying to take the goblet back. But it was taken out of his reach by Merlin.

"No, no, no, no, no. It's, it's alright." He raised the goblet to Bayard then turned and raised it to us, then drank. We all waited for something to happen.

"It's fine." Merlin told us and I visibly relaxed, leaning into Arthur.

"He's all yours." Uther told Bayard as he walked back to his chair. Merlin then began to choke and fell to the floor unconscious.

"Merlin!" I ran to Merlin's side and was soon joined by Arthur, Gaius and Gwen.

"It's poisoned. Guards seize him!" Uther commanded and the guards rushed over to Bayard.

"Merlin. Can you hear me? We have to get him back to my chambers. Bring the goblet. I need to identify the poison." Gaius told us. Arthur picked Merlin up and I followed him as Gwen grabbed the goblet. We all ran as fast as we could to Gaius's chamberswith Arthur in the lead.

"Lay him on the bed quickly; he's struggling to breathe. Gwen, fetch me some water and a towel." Gaius instructed when we walked in the room. Arthur laid Merlin on the bed and I sat by his side. Gwen rushed out to get the water and came back quickly with both items she was instructed to get.

"Is he going to be alright?" Arthur asked as I grabbed the towel and soaked it in water to cool his fever.

"He's burning up." Gaius said feeling his forehead and cheeks.

"You can cure him, can't you Gaius?" Gwen asked him.

"I won't know until I can identify the poison. Pass me the goblet." Gwen gave the goblet to Gaius and he immediately looked inside it.

"Ah. There's something stuck on the inside."

"What is it?" I asked him.

"It looks like a flower petal of some kind." Gaius said going over to the bookshelf.

"His brow's on fire." I told Gaius, continuing to pat his face with water.

"Keep him cool; it'll help control his fever." Gaius said pulling out a book.

"Gwen help me." I told her giving her a towel and some water. She started patting his neck and head with water.

"Ah. The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower. It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the Forest of Balor. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree." Gaius said with Arthur looking at the book with him.

"That's not particularly friendly." Arthur said pointing to the book.

"A Cockatrice. It guards the forest. Its venom is potent. A single drop would mean certain death. Few who have crossed the Mountains of Isgaard in search of the Mortaeus flower have made it back alive." Gaius told him.

"Sounds like fun." Arthur said.

"What?" he looked at me worriedly.

"Arthur, it's too dangerous." Gaius told him.

"If I don't get the antidote, what happens to Merlin?" Arthur asked still looking at me.

"The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death . He may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually he will die." Gaius told us and the tears threatened to spill onto my face. Arthur left to tell his father of his decision. Gwen also left to check on Morgana. Gwen came back down telling us Morgana allowed her to stay and help us with Merlin. Arthur had left that night without his fathers permission and I hadn't moved from Merlin's side. Amanda brought me my food and a change of clothes, but I refused to leave him. Gwen was the same way, only leaving when necessary.

"He's getting hotter." I told Gaius and he walked over to me. Gwen walked into the room at that moment and sat next to Merlin.

"Him. Liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf." Merlin muttered. I looked at Gaius in fear and Gaius looked back down at me.

"What language is that?" Gwen asked looking at the man behind us.

"None. The fever's taken hold. None of those words are his own. His pulse is weaker." Gaius said checking him over. He turned his arm over and I saw a large circular rash.

"What is it?" Gwen asked him.

"That can't be right. The rash is not supposed to appear until the final stage." Gaius said going back to the book.

"What does that mean?" I asked him. Gaius grabbed a magnifying glass and checked the book.

"It says here that "once a rash appears, death will follow within two days."" He looked at the three of us.

"You said he had four days." I reminded him.

"Something's increased the flower's potency. It warns that "the effect of the Mortaeus will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during the flower's preparation."" I looked at Merlin in fear. I doubted that anyone wanting to kill Arthur would used that plant with magic in it. This was meant for Merlin, but why?

"An enchantment? But Bayard's no sorcerer." Gwen reminded him.

"No he isn't." Gaius said looking away.

"Then who did this?" I asked him, knowing he knew.

"It can't have been. She wouldn't dare come here. Unless..." he trailed off deep in thought.

"Unless what?" I asked.

"What happened to that girl?" Gaius asked us.

"Which girl? There were a lot of girls at the ceremony." I told him getting impatient.

"Just before Merlin burst into the hall one of Bayard's serving girls took him outside." Gaius told me.

"She had dark hair. Very beautiful." Gwen told him.

"Cara?" I asked him.

"Find her. Quickly." Gwen ran out to find her.

"Arthur... swa..." Merlin muttered.

"Shhh, Merlin. Hush now, rest." I wiped the sweat from his face again, dipping the towel into the water. "Who were you talking about? The girl, what's her real name?" I asked Gaius.

"Nimueh." I nodded my head and continued my job. Merlin kept stiring and I tried to calm him. Gaius was inspecting Merlin's rash when Gwen ran in from trying to find that girl.

"Let me guess, she wasn't there." Gaius asked her.

"No one has seen her since the banquet. Who is she?" Gwen asked.

"Not who she claims to be." Gaius told her, not wanting to give the name.

"But you know, don't you?" Gwen tried pulling the name out of him.

"Cara. Though, that's not her name. Not her real name, anyway." Gaius said, hoping to appease her.

"Then who is she?" she tried again.

"A powerful sorceress." Gaius told her keeping the name out of his answer once again.

"Well, we should tell Uther. Maybe he could send riders out after her." Gwen suggested.

"No, she'll be long gone. It's impossible to know where, though. Oh, no." My head snapped at Gaius's words. Oh, no was never a good sign.

"What?" I asked him.

"She knows the only place an antidote can be found is the Forest of Balor. Arthur could be walking into a trap." Gaius told me.

"Oh, God." I closed my eyes at the thought.

"Arthur. Arthur." Merlin said before silencing again. That night Amanda tried taking me to my chambers but I would hear none of it, I wouldn't leave Merlin.

"Arthur, it...it's a trap. It's a trap." Merlin said after a while.

"His fever's getting worse, isn't it?" Gwen asked looking to Gaius for answers.

"The poison's setting in." Gaius told us.

"eft gewunigen wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume." Merlin said once again.

"Shh. Could you fetch me some more Wolfbane?" Gaius asked Gwen trying to get her to leave the room.

"Yes, of course." Gwen ran out of the room quickly.

"Merlin, you must fight it." I told him before the room fell silent for a few minutes.

"Arthur. It's too dark. Too dark. Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum."

"Merlin." Gaius removed the bed sheet from Merlin to see a glowing ball of light in his hand.

"What are you doing?" I asked Merlin waiting for it to disappear. I was afraid for when Gwen came back and saw this. Then the light disappeared from his hand and I breathed a sigh of relief. The next morning, Gwen came back and informed us of Arthur's return but also his imprisonment.

"He hasn't got much longer. Has Arthur got the flower?" Gaius asked her.

"I don't know. Uther won't allow anyone to see him. Is there nothing we can do to help?" she told us.

"Only the leaf of the Mortaeus flower can save him." Gaius reminded her.

"And we have to find out if Arthur has it." I told them both.

"I could sneak into the dungeon." Gwen suggested.

"That would be very dangerous." Gaius told her.

"I've got to. Merlin will die if I don't." I looked at Merlin as he struggled to breathe.

"Be careful." I told her. She left and we waited. Gwen then ran into the room a few moments later.

"How is he?" she asked us.

"Have you got the Mortaeus?" Gaius asked her, not answering.

"Here." She gave him the flower and he moved to the table as she sat next to me again.

"His breathing's much worse. We have to hurry." Gaius told us as he crushed the flower leaf before stopping.

"Why have you stopped?" I asked him.

"The poison was created using magic. We may need magic to make an antidote." Gaius told me.

"But we can't. It's forbidden. Even if we could." Gwen reminded him and I just nodded my head slightly at him.

"I'll try and make it work without it. Oh, I need some fresh water." he handed Gwen a bowl and she ran off. He then lifted the bowl he was holding and started chanting.

"Sythan..." He stopped and looked around, nervous to be practicing.

"Don't stop. Please, Gaius, I can't lose him. He nodded at me and raised the bowl again.

"Sythan arrest wearth feasceaft funden. Denum æfter dome. Dreamleas gebad he gewinnes longsum." The potion sizzled for a moment before Gwen ran back in handing him the bowl of water before standing with me beside Merlin.

"Thank you." Gaius poured the potion into a small cup and walked up to us.

"Hold his nose." Gwen pinched Merlin's nose as Gaius poured the potion into Merlin's mouth

"Swallow, Merlin. Swallow it." Gaius said. They backed away and stood next to me, and we watched. Then his chest stopped rising.

"He's stopped breathing. What's happening? Gaius?" I asked him as Gwen held my hand. Gaius put his hand on Merlin's chest.

"His heart has stopped." He told us.

"He's dead?" I asked him, not really taking it in.

"He can't be. He can't be. It was his destiny." Gaius said to no one in particular. He stood and put his arm around me.

"It's my fault. If I'd have got here sooner. If I'd have been quicker." I started crying into Gaius's shoulder unable to stop.

"No, no. It was me. I should've looked after him better. It's my fault." Gaius told her. Gwen started crying and I heard her fall to the floor.

"That's disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're old enough to be her grandfather." I removed myself from Gaius and looked at Merlin.

"Merlin. You're alive." Gaius said in shock.

"No. I'm the ghost come back to haunt you." he said smiling. Gwen grabbed Merlin's face and kissed him.

"Sorry, I'm just...I thought you were dead." Gwen told him.

"It's fine. It's more than fine. ...erm...what happened? The last thing I remember is drinking the wine." I walked to him and hugged him tightly as Gaius and Gwen told him what happened. When I moved I held his hand leaning my head onto his shoulder.

A week later Arthur, Morgang, Uther and I were watching Bayard and his men leave Camelot from the battlements. I stood next to Arthur with his arm around my shoulders keeping me by his side.

"Okay. Let the bragging begin. How'd you manage it?" Morgana asked him as she walked up to us.

"I'm not sure. All I do know is I had help. Someone knew I was in trouble and sent a light to guide the way." I looked at him and smiled at the thought about what Merlin had done for him. Even at death's door Merlin was looking out for someone else.

"Who?" Morgana asked him.

"I don't know. But whoever it was, I'm only here because of them." Arthur told her honestly.

"I'm glad you're back." she patted his arm and left.

"And you? Are you glad I'm back?" he asked me.

"Always." I kissed his cheek and watched as the men left.

"Arthur? The woman you met in the forest, what did she tell you?" Uther asked him.

"Not much. She was too busy trying to get me killed. It was strange, though." He answered.

"In what way?" Uther asked him.

"I was at her mercy. She could have finished me off, but she chose not to. She said it wasn't my destiny to die at her hand." I looked up at his face and didn't say anything.

"You must've been scared." Uther said, as though worried.

"Had its moments," Arthur told him. "But I also had something to come home to." he said looking at me.

"Those who practice magic know only evil. They despise and seek to destroy goodness wherever they find it. Which is why she wanted you dead. She is evil." Uther told him looking at the view before us.

"Sounds as if you know her." Arthur noticed.

"I do. To know the heart of one sorcerer is to know them all. You did the right thing. Even though you were disobeying me. I'm proud of you, Arthur. Never forget that." Uther walked away from us and we continued looking out before us.

"You said you had something to come home to, what was it?" I asked him. He smiled down at me.

"Well, Merlin was dying so that was a small part of it." He told me, avoiding my question.

"What was the large part?" I asked turning to look at him easier.

"I had a girl depending on me, waiting on me." I smiled and we leaned closer to each other. The kiss was short but held so much. When we separated Bayard and his men had disappeared from sight.

"Shall we?" he asked me offering his arm.

"We shall." I took his arm and talking a walk, my prince by my side.


	5. Lancelot

I stood at the training grounds watching Arthur and the other knights.

"Right, you jumped up dung beetle, this is it. The final test. Pass this and you're a knight of Camelot. Fail, and you're no one. You face the most feared of all foes, the ultimate killing machine. You face me. You're challenge to last one minute free combat. Grummond, Second son of Wessex." Arthur drew his sword and nodded to a servant with an hourflass. "Your time starts now."

"Your boyfriend has quite a way with words." Merlin told me and I lightly shoved him. Grummond swung his swords around while Arthur watched.

"He's not my boyfriend." I told him and he just gave me a look. Grummond went for the attack and Arthur took him down in two swift blows. We applauded his small victory as he removed Grummon's flag.

"Take him away." Arthur ordered walking our way.

* * *

"Grummund's the third to fail this month. How am I meant to defend Camelot with rubbish like that?" Arthur asked us.

"Well, I think I might be able to help." Merlin told him.

"You, Merlin?" I asked him.

"You haven't the faintest idea what it takes to become a knight. Courage, fortitude, discipline." Arthur told him.

"No, no, no, of course I don't, but I do know someone who does." Merlin told him.

"Yeah?" We stopped and looked at Merlin in question.

"He saved my life." Merlin told us.

"That's blowing it for starters." Arthur told him turning to walk away.

"No, no, no. He's really good. Honestly." Merlin said stopping him again.

"That's great, Merlin. I'm sure he's terrific, but you forget the First Code of Camelot."

"The what?" I asked.

"The First Code. Only those of noble blood can serve as knights. So, unless your friend is a nobleman..."

"Oh, er, he, he is a nobleman." Merlin interrupted. I gave my brother a look.

"Is he?" Arthur asked.

"Absolutely." Merlin told him avoiding my gaze.

"Very well. Bring him to the training ground tomorrow. And make sure he brings his seal of nobility." Arthur told him walking away.

"Thanks Arthur. You won't regret it." Merlin called after him.

* * *

Merlin and I entered Gaius' chambers. Merlin had a large smile on his face for the strange man standing in front of us.

"Liz this is Lancelot. Lancelot this is my sister, the Princess Elizabeth Ainsworth." Merlin introduced us.

"Sister?" he asked.

"I was adopted by his mother after my parents died and I ran away." I told him looking down.

"I'm very sorry for your loss." I smiled at him and looked to Merlin. Lancelot followed my gaze. "Did you speak to him?" he asked Merlin.

"Yeah, I spoke to him." Merlin told him.

"And?" he pushed.

"And..." Merlin looked down feigning his disappointment.

"No." Lancelot said shaking his head in disappointment.

"He said he would like to meet you." Merlin told him smiling.

"Yes! Thank you. Thank you!" If he had been a young girl I think he would have been jumping up and down, squealing.

"Hey, really, it was no problem, really. It's nothing." Merlin told him. I cleared my throat at them.

"You're not a nobleman, by any chance, are you?" I asked the man.

"A nobleman? No, My Lady." he laughed at the question. "Good lord, no. Why do you ask?"

"It's just that there's this..." Merlin dropped his sentence.

"The First Code of Camelot states that only those of noble blood can serve as a knight. Uther created the knights to protect this kingdom from those who wished to destroy it. He knew he would have to trust each of his knights with his life. So he chose them from the families that had sworn allegiance to him." Gaius told him.

"The nobility." I simplified.

"And thus the First Code of Camelot was born, and ever since that day, only the sons of noble families have served as knights." Gaius finished his explanation.

"But that is not fair." Merlin complained.

"Fair or unfair, that's the way it is. I'm sorry, Lancelot. Truly, I am." I said looking down at my feet in pity.

* * *

I spent the most of my night in my room looking out the window at the sky. I only stopped when I heard knocking on my door.

"Enter." I called out and was surprised by Arthur walking him my room. "Arthur? What are you doing here?" I asked him, moving my forgotten book from my lap to my desk.

"I came by to see you, should I go?" he asked me.

"No, no. Please sit." I gestured to another chair not far from me.

"How have you been today?" He asked me as he sat down.

"I've been fine. What about you? I know you were disapointed today with Grummund's failure." I stated.

"With all our possible knights not passing the final test then our defences will be down, we can't defend Camelot with low numbers." I told me. "Have you met Merlin's friend? Do you think he'll make it?" I looked to the floor.

"I think a man, no matter his station, who will risk his life for a servant is worthy of knighthood." I told him, not wanting to lie to Arthur.

"But do you think he'll pass the test?" I gave Arthur a look at the small joke.

"If what Merlin says is true, then yes. He will pass. Maybe not on the first try, but he will pass." I told him smiling.

* * *

"Well...you certainly look the part." Merlin told him.

"Doesn't he just?" I asked them.

"I don't feel it." Merlin told me and I laughed.

"Okay, that'll do for today. Well done." Arthur told his knights in training and walked over to us.

"Here's your chance. Go for it." Merlin told him, patting him on the back. Arthur put a sword in the sword rack as Lancelot approached him.

"Yes?" Arthur asked, giving him a look.

"Lancelot, 5th son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria." Lancelot introduced himself with his new identity.

"Lance...a lot? My servant mentioned you. Got your seal?" Arthur asked him. Lancelot bowed as he presented the false seal to Arthur.

"Sire." Arthur smacked him and Lancelot fell down.

"Sluggish reactions. In a battle field you'd be dead by now. Come back when you're ready." Arthur said as he walked off. Lancelot quickly jumped up and placed his hand on his sword.

"I'm ready now, Sire." Arthur turned back around and gave him a look.

"You are, are you? Fine. You can start by cleaning out the stables." The onlookers laughed with the exception of Merlin, Gwen and myself. Lancelot looked uncertainly at Merlin who grinned and gave him two thumbs up.

* * *

That night I was walking with Arthur through the corridors in the castle.

"Do you think you were hard on Lancelot today?" I asked him.

"I don't think so, he has to prove himself. Prove that he will follow orders." I thought about what he said.

"That makes sense, I suppose." I told him.

"I want you to be careful when you're outside. There seems to be a monster on the loose attacking people." He told me.

"What kind of monster?" I asked.

"We don't know yet. All we can tell is that it can fly and attacks people, not livestock." He explained to me.

"I will." I promised him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we continued to walk in perfect silence.

* * *

The next day I was walking in the square when the warning bells tolled and people started screaming.

I was standing trying to help Gaius with any of the injured when Merlin brought over a woman.

"You're safe now, I promise." Merlin told her as I bandaged a woman's arm.

"How is she?" Merlin asked me.

"She'll be okay." I told him and he turned to Gaius.

"Okay." Gaius told him as Lancelot ran into the square.

"What happened to these people?" He asked us.

"Their village was attacked by a winged monster." Gaius told him and I saw them exchange a look.

"Liz!" I looked toward the castle to see Arthur and Uther. I smiled at the woman and walked to them.

I walked with Uther and Arthur in an upper corridor. We stopped and looked down at the Square and saw all the injured and everyone helping them.

"I'd hunt this thing down if I could, but I cannot track a creature through the air." Arthur told us.

"You don't have to track it. First Greenswood, then Willowdale. The creature's heading south, towards the mouth of the valley." Uther said, tracking its attacks.

"To Camelot." I realized.

"You must prepare your knights, Arthur." Uther commanded.

"Have faith, Father. We'll be ready." Arthur reassured him.

"I'm going to go back and help them, Gaius needs all the hands he can get." I told them walking away. I don't know why they called me away.

"I'll come with you." I looked back and smiled at Arthur and together we walked to the square together. "I'm going to move Lancelot's test forward to tomorrow, do you think he's ready?" He asked me.

"If you believe he's proven himself then I believe he's ready." I told him smiling.

* * *

The next morning, Arthur and Lancelot were dressed in full armour for his test. Gwen Merlin and I stood on the sidelines and watched them.

"Well, here we are. Your final challenge. Succeed and you join the elite. Fail and your journey ends here. Lancelot, fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria..." Arthur nodded to the timekeeper behind him. "Your time starts now." Arthur and Lancelot put their helmets on and they prepared to fight. Lancelot swung at Arthur and missed. I noticed Gwen hold Merlin's shirt.

"Oh, sorry." She told him. Arthur punched Lancelot and he fell back, his helmet askew. Arthur put his sword in the ground and removed his helmet going to grab Lancelot's flag.

"Shame." Arthur said looking at me then turned and walked back to his knights. Lancelot then got up and knocked Arthur off his feet pointing his sword at his throat.

"Do you submit, Sire?" Lancelot asked him. The guards then restrained him and Arthur got up and grabbed his sword from the ground.

"On your knees!" Arthur commanded angrily. The guards forced Lancelot to his knees and Arthur put his sword to Lancelot's chest.

* * *

In the throne room, Lancelot knelt before the King, a sword to his chest. Arthur, Morgana and I stood nest to him.

"Arise, Sir Lancelot, Knight of Camelot." Uther told him and we all applauded. We all stepped down and congratulated him.

"Who is this man? He seems to have come out of nowhere." Morgana commented to Gwen and I.

"I know. It's been a bit of a surprise to all of us." Gwen told her, looking at me. I grabbed a drink from a passing servant.

"So? I noticed you and Arthur getting closer." Morgana said smiling at me.

"Is that not to be expected? We live on the same hallway after all." I reminded her and she just smiled at me.

"Say what you will but I think you like him." she told me as Gwen went to join Merlin after Gaius left for the night

"Of course I do, he's my friend." I told her and she gave me a look. "Oh, alright. Yes I like him, but I don't know how to bring it up or anything. I'm still confused about a lot of things." I confessed to her. I saw her look away from me and followed her gaze to Arthur and Lancelot. Lancelot was looking away from us while Arthur was looking our way. I held his gaze for a while before looking back towards Morgana, my cheeks warming up.

"Are you in love with Arthur?" I looked at her in shock. I opened my mouth to speak but Arthur spoke first.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast to our new recruit, our new knight of Camelot, Sir Lancelot." We all applauded as Lancelot and Arthur toasted.

* * *

The next morning the members of the court were called in early and after waiting a few moment the reason became clear due to Lancelot being on his knees.

"Tell him what you told me." Uther commanded of Geoffrey.

"These credentials are faked. The seal itself is faultless, forgery of the highest possible standard, but a forgery it must be. There is no record of the fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria. Therefore he..."

"Lied. Do you deny it?" Uther asked inturupting Geoffrey.

"No, Sire." Lancelot answered honestly.

"You've broken the First Code of Camelot. You've brought shame upon yourself and upon us. You are not worthy of the knighthood bestowed upon you. You never were. And you never will be. Get him out of my sight." At Uther's command the guards escorted Lancelot out of the room.

"Sire." Arthur started.

"Do you contest my judgment?" Uther asked him.

"His deception was inexcusable. But he meant no harm, Sire, I'm sure of it. He only wished to serve." Arthur told him.

"The First Code is a sacred bond of trust. It is what binds the knights together. How can you trust a man who's lied to you?" Uther tried explaining to him.

"Sire, he saved Merlin's life at the risk of his own. I believe that in itself should warrent him a chance at knghthood." I tried helping them.

"Did you see this yourself or did Lancelot tell you this?" Uther asked, turning his gaze to me.

"Merlin told me about the inncident, and Merlin has no reason to lie to me." I told him.

"Despite his actions he has no right to his knighthood. The First Code was made to ensure loyalty, we cannot turst Lancelot any longer." Uther told me. I bowed my head and walked out of the room.

* * *

I decided to go for a walk in the town after my argument with Uther when the warning bells sounded. I looked to the sky to see an animal flying overhead coming down on the square. People were running wildly around the square, screaming as they tried to find a hidding spot.

"Liz get to shelter! On me! On me!" Arthur shouted. As I ran the knights surrounded Arthur in a defence pattern.

"My Lady! Over here!" I saw a man hiding and quickly ran to him and hid, watching Arthur and the knights.

"Defend!" The knight crouched down as the animal attacked. They got up and reformed their arrack pattern as the animal landed in the square. "Charge! On me!" Arthur stiked at the animal in the chest with a spear; but instead of the animal making any sound of pain, I heard wood snapping and breaking. I watched Arthur fall backwards and a guard tossed hi a torch. Arthur then waved the torch at the animal and it took off making hissing sounds.

* * *

Arthur, Uther, myself and the knights entered the council chambers after the attack.

"You said your knights were the best in the land. You proved that today." Uther told him.

"All I know is it's still out there." Arthur told his father.

"Let's not wait for it. The kingdom has been menaced by this creature for too long. We finish this now." Uther told him as Gaius walked in.

"Sire, if I may." Gaius addressed the king.

"Gaius?"

"I've been researching this creature, Sire. I believe it to be a griffin." He told us.

"A griffin? What's in a name?" the king asked him.

"The griffin is a creature of magic." Gaius tried explaing to him.

"I don't have time for this, physician." Uther told him.

"It is born of magic, Sire, and it can only be killed by magic." Gaius said, finishing his explanation.

"You are mistaken. It's a creature of flesh and blood like any other. Arthur proved that today." Uther said motioning to his son.

"I'm not so sure, Father. I think there may be some truth in what he says." Arthur confessed to him.

"What truth?" Uther demanded an explination.

"The griffin was unharmed, Sire. Our weapons seemed useless against it." Arthur explained to us. That was why I heard the spear breaking.

"Useless? I think not. No, it's tasted our steel once, the next time will be its last. When will your knights be ready to ride again?" Uther asked denying the truth

"An hour. Maybe two." Arthur told him.

"Good. We finish this tonight." Uther told him. We all walked out leaving the king alone with his thoughts.

"I'm going to go with Gaius, prepare for any wounded." I told Arthur and started following Gaius back to his chambers. Arthur pulled me back to him and held me close.

"I want you to be careful. Don't do anything you don't have to. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." he said, hugging me closer.

"Yes you'd have to deal with Merlin all on your own." I joked with him, but when I looked up in his face I saw no signs of laughter. "I'll be safe." I told him and kissed him on the cheek. I pulled away from him once more and went to Gaius' chambers.

* * *

"Where magic is concerned, our King is blind to reason. And yet...magic is our only hope." Gaius said as I walked in.

"You're not suggesting..." Merlin started but was unable to finish.

"It is your destiny, Merlin. The true purpose of your magic." I said walking up to them.

"You saw it. I can't go up against that thing." Merlin told us.

"But if you do not, then Arthur will die." I told him.

"No...this is madness. I don't have magic that powerful. There must be another way." Merlin tried.

"This is the only way." Gaius told him.

"Do you even care what happens to me? Oh, just do this, Merlin. Do that, Merlin. Go and kill the griffin, Merlin. I'll just sit here and warm my feet by the fire! I'll read a book by a window pinning after Arthur, never telling him how I feel!" Merlin yelled at us.

"That's not fair!"

"Merlin! Merlin, you are the only thing I care about in all this world. I would give my life for you without a thought. But for what? I cannot save Arthur. It is not my destiny. You know." Gaius told him.

"I'm sorry." Merlin appoligized to us, looking down.

"I don't know what else we can say." Gaius said motioning to me.

"I'll say it for you. We have two hours to find a way to kill that thing." Merlin told us grabbing a book and we started flipping throught it talking of all the possible ways to kill the Griffin.

"There. You must do this for Arthur." Gaius said pointing to a spell for Merlin.

"I've never cast a spell of enchantment this powerful." Merlin told him.

"Nothing less will kill it. Here." Gaius handed Merlin a rusty dagger. "Try. You have it within you. I know you do."

"Bregdan anweald gafeluec." We all watched the dagger but nothing happened. Merlin looked at us.

"Don't worry, Merlin, you can do this." I told him. He continued to try the spell.

"Don't worry, Merlin. I know you're trying." Gaius told him as I paced.

"And I'm failing. And if Arthur dies because I'm not good enough..." Merlin broke off.

"Merlin!" Gwen chose that moment ran in.

"Merlin! Lancelot's riding out to kill the griffin!" Gwen told us.

"He's what?" Merlin ran out.

"Merlin!" I called after him.

* * *

After a while of waiting for Merlin with Gaius I rushed out and decided to walk around the castle. I found my way to the throne room and Uther.

"Anything yet?" I asked him.

"No, nothing." I walked to the window and tried to see them. "Don't worry Elizabeth, Arthur and the other knights will be fine." I just nodded at him when Arthur walked in.

"Arthur." I ran to him as quickly as I could and hugged him.

"You did it, my son. You did it." I moved to Uther could hug his son.

"Not I, Father. It was Lancelot." We turned to see Lancelot entering the room.

"What's he doing here?" Uther asked with hate in his voice.

"Father, I can explain."Arthur told him.

"You! Wait outside." Uther commanded and Lancelot walked out and the guards closed the door.

"You had no right to release him!" Uther told his son.

"I confess it, Sire. I released him and I'll take the consequences. But surely Lancelot's actions change things?!" Arthur told his father.

"His actions change nothing. He broke the code!" Uther told him.

"He laid down his life for me! He served with honor." Arthur told him.

"I see you feel strongly about this, Arthur. Under the circumstances? A pardon, perhaps." Uther said, lightening the sentence.

"No, not good enough, Sire. You must restore Lancelot to his rightful place, as a knight of Camelot." I insisted. "He saved your son's life, and the life of everyone in Camelot, he's more than proven himself."

"Never. The law is the law. The Code bends for no man." Uther told us.

"Then the code is wrong!" Arthur insisted as Lancelot burst through the door.

"What is this?" Uther demanded as guards restrained Lancelot.

"Let me speak!" He insisted.

"Wait! I'll hear him." The guards released him on the king's command.

"Forgive me, Sire. I've come to bid you farewell." Lancelot told us.

"What is this, Lancelot?" I asked him.

"I lied to the three of you and now there is conflict between you. I cannot bear that burden, as you should not bear mine. I must start again, far from here. Then maybe one day fate shall grant me another chance to prove myself a worthy knight of Camelot." He told us.

"But...Lancelot, you've...already proved that to us." I tried telling him.

"But I must prove it to myself. Your Highness. Prince Arthur. Princess Elizabeth." Lancelot bowed to us and backed out of the room. Arthur watched him go looking crestfallen.

"If that proves nothing to you about him, then I don't know what will." I told Uther.


	6. A Cure to All Ills

Amanda entered my chambers in the morning with flowers and set them down before me. The bouquet was full of beautiful red roses and white lilies.

"Look what's just arrived for you." She said as she began at arrange them so each one could be seen.

"Who are they from?" I asked her, smelling them.

"I don't know. Maybe Arthur?!" She asked, giving me a knowing smile.

"Perhaps they are." I told her smiling at the arrangement.

"Who'd you like them to be from?" She asked me.

"Like you don't know." I gave her a joking look out of the corner of my eye.

* * *

The lessons Uther insisted on me having when I first arrived were over, but the lessons on how to rule a kingdom took over. When I married, if my husband were to leave for an extended time then I had to take over his duties until his return. Arthur, unexpected by all, had told his father of his desire to court a woman. Uther sent us all away so they could speak in private. Merlin and I stood in the hall and waited for them.

"I wonder who it is he wishes to be with." Merlin said, giving me a smile.

"Don't give me that look Merlin. Arthur's told me nothing of his desired lady." I told him, looking down at the floor.

"It's you." I gave Merlin a look and the doors opened. Both father and son came out of the council room looking pleased. Uther grabbed one of my hands in his and kissed it.

"Congratulations, my dear." He smiled at me and I smiled back confused by his words. He moved down the hall and I looked at Arthur.

"What was he congratulating me on?" I asked him and he just smiled at me.

"The fact that we can now court openly." He told me smiling at my shocked face. I smiled at him and hugged him tightly. We spent the remainder of the day together, talking.

* * *

Two days later I stood with Arthur and Merlin, waiting for Uther and Gaius to descend the stairs to tell us Morgana's condition. Two days ago she fell asleep and she hasn't woken.

"Is she any better?" I turned towards Gwen's voice and watched Gaius shake his head. Gwen quickly ran up the stairs and Arthur followed while Gaius met us.

"She's all but dead." Gaius told us.

"No, you're going to cure her. You have to." I told him, looking towards my friend.

"Don't you start. I've tried everything." he told me.

"I was wondering..." Merlin started.

"What?" Gaius asked.

"Maybe I could..." A guard walked by and we waited for him to pass. "...help." Merlin finished.

"If you're suggesting magic...have you forgotten what happened with Gwen's father? This is not a magical illness, it must be cured by conventional means. We keep trying. See if you can find me some fresh rosemary." Gaius instructed Merlin.

"There must be something more I can do." Merlin begged him.

"And yarrow." Gaius told him. I walked up stairs to be with my friend.

* * *

Later that night, I sat next to Arthur while Merlin paced.

"It's gonna be alright. It is. I know it is. She's gonna be absolutely..."

"Merlin." Arthur interrupted his pacing and rambling.

"What?" Merlin asked him.

"You're making me anxious." Arthur told him.

"But I'm not worried." He told us, continuing his pacing.

"Then stop pacing." I told him. He quickly sat down and started tapping his fingers on the table. Arthur, getting irritated and worried, started pacing.

* * *

"I cannot preserve her life for much longer. She has hours, maybe less." Gaius told us the next day. I closed my eyes in sorrow, I was losing my friend.

"We cannot let her die!" Arthur yelled at us.

"Arthur, please." Uther almost begged him to calm himself.

"There's a man, he came to the castle yesterday. He claims he can cure her." Arthur told us.

"That's ridiculous. He doesn't know what's wrong with her." Uther told him.

"He says he has a remedy that can cure all ills." Arthur told us.

"Impossible." Gaius told him.

"Well, for Morgana's sake, surely we should at least hear him out. I mean, what've we got to lose?" I asked looking at Uther.

"Please, Father." Arthur begged him.

"Probably some charlatan hoping for a quick shilling." Gaius told Uther.

"I don't care!" Arthur told them.

"If she's about to die, what harm can it do? Give him his shilling! If there's one chance in a million he can save her, then why not?" I asked the king once more.

"Send for him." Uther commanded. I got up and followed Arthur to Morgana.

* * *

Later that day a guard came to collect us from Morgana's side. I waved him away and walked closer to Arthur.

"Arthur. We have to meet the man you mentioned." I put my hand on his arm and he placed his hand over mine. We walked out to meet Uther and Gaius. Uther entered the hall followed by Arthur and myself then Gaius. The man before us dropped to one knee and handed Uther a roll of parchment. Half of his face was terribly scared and he wore simple clothing.

"Edwin Muirden, Sire. Physician and loyal servant." he introduced himself as Uther took the parchment and we all stood before him.

"Welcome to Camelot." Uther told him.

"Have we met before?" Gaius asked the man.

"I doubt you would forget a face like mine, sir." Edwin told him.

"Do you really believe you have a remedy?" Uther questioned him.

"There are not many ills that I have not seen and successfully treated, Sire. So when I heard of the Lady Morgana's sickness, I felt honor bound to offer my services." Edwin told us and Uther looked over the parchment.

"You say you have a cure for all? An antidote for everything?" Gaius asked him.

"Yes. Although it is not quite as simple as that." Edwin told him.

"Gaius is the court physician." Uther introduced Gaius to him.

"You are indeed a legend, sir. I am delighted to meet you. I am curious to know what it is that has affected her." Edwin told him, talking shop.

"An infection of the brain." Gaius told him.

"And your treatment?" Edwin asked.

"Yarrow." Gaius told him.

"Yes, yes." Edwin thought out loud.

"Rosemary to stimulate cerebral circulation." Gaius continued.

"Interesting."Edwin told him.

"Why? What would you suggest?" Arthur asked him.

"No, no, no, that is all fine. All good. If that is... the right diagnosis." Edwin told us.

"What would your diagnosis be?" Uther asked him.

"Well, without examining the patient..." Edwin dropped off.

"He should examine her." Arthur told us.

"I would need my equipment." Edwin told us.

"Of course. You'll have use of one of the guest chambers." Uther told him.

"And consider my manservant at your disposal." Arthur told him.

"I will start work immediately." Edwin told him.

* * *

Gaius, Arthur, Uther and I all waited for Edwin and Merlin in Morgana's chambers. When they arrived Edwin quickly began to examine Morgana.

"Put my equipment over there. Sire, I would be grateful if you could have everyone leave the room. I require peace and privacy." Edwin told Uther.

"Certainly." Uther waved Arthur, Gaius and I out of the room. I stood from my seat and followed Arthur out. We walked down the stairs and waited where we had before, when we waited for Gaius to deliver his news of Morgana's illness. We were soon joined by Gaius and Uther.

* * *

Edwin soon descended the curved stairs to meet us.

Great new"s, Your Majesty. You will be glad to hear it is not an inflammation of the brain." Edwin told us.

"What is it then?" Uther asked him.

"It is a cerebral hemorrhage." Edwin told us.

"Hemorrhage? I don't think so." Gaius told him.

"I found this trace of blood in her ear." Edwin said showing us a bloody cloth.

"God in heaven." Uther said softly.

"The severity depends upon the site and volume of the bleed. If not treated, it can lead to coma, and eventually death." Edwin told us.

"How could you have missed this?" Uther asked Gaius in shock, all of us turning our heads to him.

"I didn't see any blood." Gaius assured us.

"Please. Just thank the fates that you did not administer more rosemary to stimulate the circulation. Can you imagine what that might have done?" Uther turned to Gaius for an explanation at Edwin's words.

"It may have increased the bleed." Gaius explained to us.

"Is there a cure?" Uther asked Edwin.

"See for yourself." At Edwin's words we ruched upstairs.

When the door opened we saw Morgana sitting up in her bed.

"Morgana, this is truly a miracle." Uther sat beside her and kissed her forehead. "I thought... I really thought..." He broke off.

"Oh, you won't get rid of me that easily." Morgana told him tiredly.

"What exactly did he give you?" Gaius asked her.

"I have no idea. But thank heaven he did." Morgana told him. I sat next to her on her bed and hugged her tightly.

"I'm glad we didn't lose you. I would've been alone with all these boys." I joked with her and she laughed.

* * *

Edwin stood before Uther, Arthur, Morgana and I.

"Name your reward." Uther told him.

"I desire nothing more than the good health of my patient, Sire." Edwin told him, nodding to Morgana.

"There must be something I can do for you." Uther insisted.

"No. I will wait until the Lady Morgana is fully recovered, and then I will be on my way." Edwin told us.

"Why don't you stay awhile? You could live here in the palace." Uther offered him.

"No. I - I feel I would be trespassing. And you already have a court physician." Edwin told us.

"I'm sure Gaius would be glad of your help." Uther insisted.

"It is a kind offer, but..." Edwin trailed off.

"Think about it. Dine with me later. Give me your decision then." Uther ordered.

"To dine with Your Majesty would be reward in itself." Edwin bowed and left.

* * *

That night I dined with Arthur and we spoke.

"What do you think of Edwin?" he asked me as Merlin served us.

"I believe that he is a good healer, but I trust Gaius. When Merlin and I first arrived he was the only one we could trust. Though now we can trust others, he will be the father figure that my darling brother needed." I said smiling at both boys who stared at me. "What?" I asked them.

"Darling brother?" Merlin asked me, filling Arthur's goblet. I nodded and smiled at him.

"You are my brother and you are dear to me." I told him eating the food before me.

"Do you think we can trust Edwin?" Arthur asked me, changing the topic from Merlin back to Edwin.

"I can not trust a man I don't know, Arthur. Take you for example." I told him.

"Me?" He gave me a confused look.

"You. When we first met I didn't trust you at all. Then I got to know you and here we are today." I smiled at him. I nearly laughed at the shocked look on his face. We finished dinner with normal chit chat after that, not bringing up Edwin again.

* * *

The next afternoon, Edwin stood before us with his findings.

"I have been through the court medical records with a fine-tooth comb, Sire." He reported.

"And were your findings satisfactory?" Uther asked him.

"With regret, I would have to say they were not." Edwin told us.

"How so?" Uther asked.

"Gaius is a great man, thorough, and dedicated." He complimented the physician.

"But?" Uther requested him to continue. Edwin sighed before he continued with his report.

"His methods are outdated. He has failed to keep up with the latest developments. This has led to a number of errors."

"Gaius has served me well for 25 years." Uther told him.

"And one cannot blame him for the infirmity those years have brought. Age can be a terrible curse." Edwin said looking down at the floor.

"Perhaps it is time to lighten his burdens. Have you given any more thought to my offer?" The king asked him. I looked at Uther in slight shock at his question. Gaius, who'd served him faithfully and without question, was being replaced?

"Yes. I have considered it very carefully." Edwin told him.

"Allow me some time to do the same." Uther told him. Edwin bowed and exited. Uther got up and walked to a table for a drink and Morgana followed.

"Uther, you can't do this." Morgana told him.

"You heard what he said. Gaius is old, he makes mistakes." Uther told her.

"Gaius has treated me since before I can remember. You can't cast him out." Morgana reminded him.

"You would have died if your care had been left to him. That's something I could not bear." Uther reminded her.

"I know that, but ..." Uther cut her off.

"I cannot risk something like this happening again." Uther told her.

* * *

After I heard Uther sacked Gaius I ran into his chamber and watched Gaius is pack. Merlin ran in a few seconds after I did.

"Gaius! Uther cannot do this to you. You tried to save Morgana." I told him.

"Uther's not to blame." Gaius told me.

"I will speak to Edwin, you can work together." Merlin told him.

"No, you mustn't do anything." Gaius told him, looking between the two of us.

"I can't stand by and do nothing." Merlin told him.

"Uther's right. It's time I stepped down." Gaius tried telling us.

"What are you doing?" I asked looking at his packed belongings.

"I cannot stay when there's no longer a use for me." He told me.

"You're not leaving?" Merlin told him.

"I believe it's for the best." He told us.

"Then I will come with you." I nodded to Gaius and left the room. They needed to be alone right now. Merlin was closer to him than I was.

* * *

At the training grounds, Merlin and I watched as practiced.

"I can't understand why Uther would sack him over one mistake." Merlin told us.

"A mistake that nearly killed Morgana. Besides, it wasn't the only one." Arthur told him. Merlin's head snapped to me and I couldn't look at him.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"Edwin said his work was riddled with errors." Arthur told him.

"That's nonsense." Merlin told us.

"No one wants Gaius to go, but Uther's made his decision. There's nothing anyone can do." I told him, crying silently.

* * *

That night I walked with Arthur towards our chambers.

"I don't trust Edwin, Arthur. There's something about him that I can't trust." I told him.

"But he saved, Morgana. How can you not trust my father's judgement?" Arthur asked me.

"It's not your father I don't trust, My Lord. It's Edwin." I clarified.

"Well, I hope you are willing to trust him in the future, My Lady." I smiled at him and hugged him close to me as we drew closer to the doors.

"You needn't worry. I will go with his methods for now. But if he even breathes wrong, I'll run screaming to the hills." I told him smiling and he started laughing at my half joke. I might not run screaming, but I would run.

* * *

The next morning, Gaius stood before the royal court. I smiled down at him brightly.

"I, my family, and my kingdom are deeply indebted to you. And in honor of this, I not only reinstate you as court physician, but henceforth, you are a free man of Camelot." Uther handed Gaius a roll of parchment and we all applauded. Merlin loudest of all.

* * *

"Of course, it's all ridiculous. I didn't save Uther, you did." Gaius told Merlin as the three of us walked in the lower town. They had told me everything that had happened the night before.

"No, no. For once, I'm happy for someone else to take the credit. You were prepared to sacrifice your life to save me." Merlin told him.

"Where do you get that from?" Gaius asked him.

"I thought..." Merlin broke off.

"No. I didn't do anything. You saved me and you saved Uther. Maybe you are a genius." Gaius told him and I laughed at his joke.

"You think so?" I laughed at him.

"Well, almost. One day..." Gaius told him and we all continued laughing.


	7. The Gate of Avalon

Arthur and Merlin came back from hunting early and brought a man and his daughter before the court.

"My name is Ulfric, heir to Tír-Mòr. This is my daughter, Sophia." Aulfric introduced himself and his daughter.

"You're a long way from home. What brings you to Camelot?" The king asked him.

"Our home was sacked by raiders, We barely escaped with what few possessions we could carry." Ulfric told him. I noticed Arthur leaning against a pillar and smiled at him. He lightly smiled back at me.

"These are dangerous times. What will you do?" I turned my attention back to our guests.

"We travel west to Caerleon where we have family and, I hope, a new life." The man answered.

"You must stay here awhile, break your journey. A noble family like yours is always welcome in Camelot." Uther told them, smiling. They bowed and exited and I walked over to Arthur.

"She is quite beautiful. I wouldn't be surprised if he had many men here who tried winning her heart." I told him.

"She pales in comparison to yourself and Morgana. And I'm allowed to enjoy the privilege of your company every day." He told me. "Dine with me this evening, My Lady?" He asked.

"Of course, My Lord. How am I to refuse the offer of my prince?" We smiled at each other before walking out to continue the day.

* * *

I followed the boys into Arthur's room. Arthur started moving around quickly, tidying things up and throwing things at Merlin for cleaning.

"Make sure you put them in decent rooms." He ordered Merlin.

"The one next to mine is empty." I told him.

"The one next door's fine." He looked up at us. "Shut up, Merlin." I looked and saw my brother smiling at him.

"What? I didn't say anything." He told the man.

"You didn't have to. Put her in the room on the other side of the castle." Arthur told him.

"Of course. That way you two can have your privacy." He said, still smiling like an idiot.

"Merlin." I warned him.

"My intentions towards Liz are honorable, Merlin. Anyone can walk in the door and they will find us just talking, nothing more." Arthur told Merlin.

"Well, if your intentions are honorable..." Merlin broke off.

"They are." I told him.

"Most definitely." Arthur agreed.

"Then what's the problem with Sophia staying next door to Liz?" Merlin asked him.

"There isn't one. You've convinced me." Arthur told him.

"Put her in the room next to mine." I told him and with a slight bow he walked out. "I wonder why Merlin needed convincing."

"We are still on for tonight right?" Arthur asked me.

"Of course." I answered.

"How about we go for a ride tomorrow, just you and me. No knights, no servants, just you, me and a picnic basket." he offered.

"I would love that. I'll see you tonight." I told him walking out of his chambers.

* * *

That night as I left my room I ran into Ulfric.

"Oh! you startled me." I told him smiling.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know there would be people out and about this time of night." he said giving me a quick once over.

"Normally there's not but I had made dinner plans." I told him and he looked at Arthur's door before bowing slightly before leaving to his daughters room. I watched him go before continuing to my dinner date.

* * *

When I woke Amanda helped me get ready for my picnic with Arthur. I was wearing black pants that hugged my legs and a red top the fell off my shoulders and hugged my top half. I wore my hair down allowing the brown curls to fall down to my waist beautifully.

"Are you ready, princess?" she asked me as I pulled on some riding boots.

"I am. Now if Uther asks where I am I might need you to cover for me. He shouldn't but he also doesn't Arthur and I along anywhere." I told her.

"What if locks me away for lying to him?" She asked me worriedly.

"Amanda, he won't do that. Just go about your day like you usually would, he shouldn't even ask for me. Nothing was planned." I told her and she sighed. "I need you to do this for me." I told her.

"What should I tell him if I do this?" she asked me and I smiled.

"Ask Merlin what he'll be telling the king and don't tell him the same thing." I told her

"You like him a lot, don't you?" she asked me.

"Of course. I want to spend some more time with him, but between Uther and the matters of state we don't get to be alone enough. I can't order you to lie to the King, but ...I'd be forever grateful if you did." I told her.

"What are you waiting for then? You don't want to keep your prince waiting." she told me.

"Thank you so much, Amanda. I won't forget this." I told her walking out to meet Arthur in the hallway.

* * *

Later that day, Arthur and I were walking through the woods talking and laughing.

"The river's not far. It's just down here." He told me.

"Are you sure this is okay Arthur?" I asked him stepping down from some stones.

"Why wouldn't it be?" He asked me helping me down.

"I'm sure you had duties to perform today with your knights or your father." I told him as we walked.

"Possibly, but, at this moment, you're more important." He told me, making me smile. He and I leaned closer but were interrupted.

"You there! Halt!" Arthur tackled me down before an arrow hit a tree right where we had been standing. Arthur then quickly ran towards the guards while I looked at the arrow.

"Sorry!" I heard the guard apologize.

"Sorry?! You nearly shot a crossbow in my face! What do you mean you're sorry?!" Arthur asked him before jogging back to me. "You okay?" He asked me.

"Yes. Thanks to you." I said smiling at him.

"They were searching for the bandits that attacked Sophia and her father yesterday." He told me.

"Maybe we should go back." He suggested to me.

"Arthur, It's fine. Don't let this spoil our day together. We were having such a nice time. Let's go down to the river." I told him trying to pull him along with me.

"I'm taking you back to Camelot. Father, Merlin and Morgana would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you." I smiled at him and followed him back to Camelot.

* * *

As Arthur and I rode into the courtyard Sophia was coming down the steps towards us.

"You're sure you'll be alright?" Arthur asked me, he'd been asking me the same question every so often.

"Yes. Thank you for today." I said before kissing him lightly. "Good night, Arthur." As I walked away Sophia walked toward him.

"Perhaps we can do this again tomorrow?" He asked me and I smiled, turning to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning then." I told him walking away once more. As I walked away Sophia walked toward him. I turned and watched them for a moment before walking away.

* * *

The next morning found Arthur and myself running through the woods once more.

"Wai…wait! Careful." Arthur called from behind me.

"Don't worry. I will be." I told him jumping from a rock and continued running with him right behind me. "You're too slow, Arthur."

"I'll show you who's slow." He wrapped his arms around my waist and spun me around with me laughing.

"I think tomorrow we should attend to our duties." I told him when he put me down.

"Why? I prefer this to riding out with the knights, they aren't pretty to look at you know." he told me and I giggled.

"But there are things we still have to do at the castle." I told him turning in his arms to face him.

"Very well, but under two conditions. The first is to have dinner with me tonight and the second is for you to sing." Arthur told me using his commanding voice.

"Yes to the first and are you mad?" I asked him.

"A simple song, then you and I will go back to our normal duties tomorrow." I sighed in defeat, smiling.

"Very well, any request?" I asked him

"Anything." he told me pulling me down next to him on a rock.

"I hear a baby crying,  
A sad sound, a lonely sound.  
I want to take her in my arms,  
And then I dry away all her tears.

I see a boy who's frightened,  
A young boy with old eyes,  
I long to say you're welcome here,  
You can be happy now that you're warm.

We're all a part of one world,  
We all can share the same dream...  
And if you just reach out to me,  
Then you will find deep down inside... I'm just like you,

Loud voices raised in anger,  
Speak harsh words, such cruel words,  
Why do they speak so selfishly?  
When we have got so much we can share.

So let your hearts be open,  
And reach out with all your love,  
There are no strangers now,  
They are our brothers now,  
And we are one.

We're all apart of one world,  
We all can share the same dream,  
And if you just reach out to me,  
Then you will find, deep down inside,  
I'm just like you...

We're all apart of one world,  
We all can share the same dream,  
And if you just reach out to me,  
Then you will find, deep down inside...

I'm just like you...  
I'm just like you..." (ONE WORLD BY CELTIC WOMAN)

* * *

After Arthur and I returned from our forest trip I went to talk to Merlin but he wasn't there so Gaius had told me I could wait for him.

"I heard that both you and Arthur have been going out alone." I just smiled down at the table.

"Yes, we have." I told him, there was no point lying to him. Merlin would tell him by the end of the day wither way. At that moment Merlin came in covered in rotten food.

"Not again Merlin, surely?" Gaius said looking between the two of us.

"You would think that the appeal of pelting the same person with fruit would wear off after a while, but, oh, no!" Merlin told us getting some water.

"I heard that both Arthur and yourself weren't at the knighting ceremony." Gaius said to me.

"Yeah," I started explaining while Merlin cleaned himself up. "He and I wanted to spend as much time as possible without someone following us all the time."

"So you helped them?" Gaius asked turning to Merlin.

"I'm his servant, I had to." Merlin defended himself.

"You should be more careful then, both of you." He said looking between the two of us. Merlin lifted his head up as Gaius continued talking to us. "I fear that Sophia and her father may not be all that they seem."

"Why?" I asked him.

"What do you know about seers?" Gaius asked us getting up.

"Not much. They're…supposed to be able to see the future, like prophets?" Merlin guessed.

"It's said to be an innate ability. Those who have it are born that way. Some aren't even aware that what they see is the future. It comes to them in their dreams." He said sitting on a bench on the other side of me while Merlin joined us as well.

"What's this got to do with Sophia and Ulfric?" I asked him, we wouldn't know if they were seers.

"The night before they came to Camelot, Morgana had a dream. Sophia was in it." My eyes widened at Gaius's words.

"Before she arrived in Camelot?" Merlin asked him, trying to make sure we'd heard him right.

"I've been watching Morgana since she was very young. And though I tried to persuade myself otherwise, I realized that some of the things she said she'd dreamt came to pass. I kept it secret from Uther, of course. The gift of prophecy is too close to the work of magic." Gaius explained to us.

"You think Morgana is a seer?" I asked him.

"I don't think it. I fear it. Morgana said she dreamt that Sophia killed Arthur." Gaius told us and I looked down.

"Couldn't that have just been a dream? Maybe the- the woman Morgana saw just looked like Sophia." Merlin said trying to rationalize what he'd just told us.

"That's what I hoped. But Aulfric caught me in Sophia's room and, in a flash of anger, his eyes changed color." Gaius told us.

"Who are they?"Merlin asked Gaius.

"It's not who they are that worries me. It's what they want with Arthur." I told both of them.

* * *

Later that night as I was walking to Arthur's chambers for dinner I overheard someone talking.

"Our love is strong. You feel the same way, too. If we were ever to be parted...?" I heard a woman brake off.

"I'd never let that happen." I heard Arthur answer her.

"You may not have the choice. There are some here who don't want us to be together." she told him.

"I'll never let them come between us." He told her. She must have been performing some sort of spell on him.

"Because we are in love." she told him.

"Because we're in love." He repeated her words.

"You must seek permission for us to marry... so that we can be together." She ordered.

"Till death do us part." he said.

"Túce hwón frec'úre, artur." It was silent for a moment after her spell. "Till death do us part." she repeated him before exiting the room.

"Oh, hello. You're Sophia, right? My name's Elizabeth." I said, pretending to be friendly.

"You're the orphaned princess, right? Arthur was just telling me about you over dinner." She told me with a smile.

"Was he?" I asked her with my own smile and hers faltered. "Well it's late and I must get ready for tomorrow. Night."

* * *

The next day Arthur stood before Uther while Morgana and I sat next to him. Ulfric and Sophia were standing behind Arthur.

"I request this audience, Father, to discuss a matter of great importance." He told us.

"What is it?" Uther asked his son.

Sophia and I are in love." Uther and Morgana exchanged a look while I looked down to my lap. "Which is why I come before you today to ask your permission to marry." I closed my eyes to hid the hurt I knew they'd show.

"I assume you're joking." Uther laughed at him.

"No. I'm going to marry her." Arthur insisted.

"But you only met two days ago. You're courting Princess Elizabeth, who sits beside me." Uther said as I opened my eyes, avoiding looking at Arthur.

Sophia and I are in love." Arthur repeated once more to him.

"In love? We had no idea that you were such a romantic had we, Morgana?" He asked turning to Morgana.

"No. He's full of surprises." Morgana confirmed for his amusement.

"I'm going to marry her. I don't care what either of you think about it." Arthur told us, sternly.

"I thought you'd come to ask my permission?" Uther said, reminding him of his previous words.

"Out of courtesy, nothing more." Arthur said turning back taking Sophia's hand as the three of them walked away.

"Guards, door." At Uther's order the guards prevented Arthur, Sophia and Ulfric from leaving. "You've forgotten whose court you're standing in." Uther told Arthur as he stood.

"You won't stop me. If I want to marry her, I will." Arthur told him defiantly.

"Arrest Sophia and Aulfric Tír-Mòr…" the guards moved closer to the two guests of the king.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked but Uther ignored him.

"And inform the executioner his services will be required tomorrow morning."

"You can't do this." Arthur told him.

"Yes! I can! And unless you show me some respect I will!" Uther told him. Arthur reluctantly bowed his head to his father. "Release them. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Enjoy yourself while you can." Uther told him, patting his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

* * *

I hadn't left my chambers for the remainder of the day after what happened in the court room. I couldn't bear the stares and whispers of everyone in the palace. Later that night I heard something odd, like someone was being hit by something. I got up and made my way to the door only stopping when I heard Arthur's door open and multiple feet walk away. I looked out the window and waited until I saw Arthur, Sophia and Ulfric walking across the courtyard. I quickly moved to Arthur's room and saw Merlin lying on the ground.

"Merlin!" I ran to him and slapped his face a few times until he came to.

"Merlin! What happened to you?" I looked up and saw Gaius come to me and helped me help Merlin up.

"Ulfric. Where's Arthur? I have got to go after him. What's that buzzing noise?" Merlin asked us.

"Careful, Merlin, you can barely stand up." I told him, helping him stabilize himself.

"I have to go." Merlin told me.

"I'm coming with you." He looked at me and knew I wasn't going to argue with him.

"You can't, not in this state. You owe it to your powers that you survived this at all. Not to mention going through woods in that dress will make you break your neck." Gaius told Merlin and I.

"I'll be fine, he needs me." Merlin told him as I grabbed a dagger and cut the bottom off of my dress.

"That solves that." I told Gaius.

"Has that buzzing stopped?" Gaius asked Merlin trying to find a reason for us to stay.

"Yeah." Merlin lied.

"Liar." Gaius said, calling him out.

"We have to go, Gaius. He'll die if we don't." Merlin told him.

"The Sidhe are a vicious people. You must be careful." Gaius said giving in to us.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Merlin said walking towards a window.

"Merlin?" he turned to me. "The door's this way." I said pointing to the door.

"Just testing." He said as he left.

* * *

We ran through the forest as quickly as we could. If one of us tripped the other kept going as they picked themselves up and joined with the other. When we got to the lake we hid behind trees and I pointed out a staff on the ground to Merlin..

"Onbregdan." The staff flew to Merlin's hand and he pointed it at Ulfric. "Swilte, gold beorþ." A bolt of light hit Ulfric and he exploded.

"Father! No! No!" I looked out into the middle of the lake as Sophia tried to run to shore. Merlin pointed the staff at her.

"Óga ceoles." A bolt of light hits Sophia and she exploded. Merlin takes his jacket off as I ran into the water after Arthur.

"Arthur! Arthur! Arthur!" I found Arthur under the water and brought him to the surface with Merlin's help.

* * *

Merlin, Gaius and I sat at Arthur's bedside waiting for him to wake. When I heard him groaning my hand immediately grasped his.

"Arthur? Arthur?" I sat on his bed next to him and held his hand with both hands.

"What happened? Where am I?" Arthur asked.

"Can you remember anything?" Merlin asked, gauging how much he remembered under her spell.

"Oh! Oh my head! There was a girl. Sophia, she...I asked my father something about her, I asked him..." He paused for a moment then bolted up in his bed. "What was I thinking?" I smiled slightly at that.

"Well, we did wonder. Especially when you eloped with her last night." I said looking at my lap.

"I did what?" Arthur asked his voice void of all emotion.

"Merlin and Elizabeth had to bring you back to Camelot." Gaius told him and Arthur's hand gripped mine.

"I don't recall any of this." Arthur told us.

"Must've been some blow." Merlin said.

"What blow?" Arthur asked looking between all of us.

"Well…er…when we caught up with you, we couldn't persuade you to return, you were beyond reason. So we had to make you." I told him, making up the story on the spot.

"You managed to knock me out?" Arthur asked looking at Merlin.

"Yep. With a lump of wood." Merlin told him.

"He only did it to bring you back safely." I pointed out to him.

"No one…can know about this. "Any of it. Is that understood?" Arthur commanded pointing between Gaius and Arthur. Both of them nodded and Arthur fell back on his pillows.

* * *

Later that day Arthur and I stood before the court.

"When you failed to show up for patrol this morning, I feared you'd eloped with Sophia in a fit of passion." Uther told him and Arthur looked to Merlin.

"I…I wish he had. Because then I wouldn't be stood in front of you feeling like an idiot... again." Merlin told the king.

"This is becoming a near daily occurrence for you." Uther said turning to Merlin.

"But there was a mistake. And I would not say it was anyone's fault." Merlin said and Arthur looked at him. "Not…not really. Erm,..you…you could say it was mine." Merlin told him.

"Could somebody tell me what happened?" Uther asked us.

"Well..." Merlin started but wasn't allowed to finish.

"Someone with a brain." Uther looked to the two of us.

"After Sophia left, I wanted to take my mind off her so I went for a hunt with Liz." Arthur said, giving us both an alibi.

"And killing things reestablished your relationship?" Morgana asked us, not believing his words.

"No, but it was good fun." I told her.

"Merlin was meant to inform you that we wouldn't be back till later today." Arthur told his father.

"Have you some kind of mental affliction?" Uther asked my brother.

"Probably." Merlin answered him.

"I'm looking into it, Sire." Gaius informed Uther.

"Well, I hope for our sake you find a cure. Or we'll find ourselves with a food shortage on our hands." Uther said and we understood what he meant and I felt sorry for Merlin.

"Food shortage?" Merlin laughed.

* * *

"So are we going to be okay?" Arthur asked me as we watched Merlin get pelted by rotten food.

"I care about you Arthur. I'd almost say what I felt was love, but what happened hurt me deeply. We'd have to work a little on it, but I believe we'll be back to where we were in no time." I told him smiling.


	8. A Beginning of the End

**I want to thank all my devoted readers! You are what keeps me going with all my stories. While I love everything I wright your reviews keep a smile on my face and your ideas just might end up in one of the chapters. I also wanted to take this small bit of your time to reply to some of those reviews. I know I've never done that before but I've honestly never known how. ****I wanted to specifically thank JohnCenaRkoFanForever for their reviews since the last update.**

**JohnCenaRkoFanForever: that is an excellent idea and I might just use it in an upcoming chapter.**

**Sanura Bey**

* * *

I was sitting in Morgana's chamber talking and laughing with her and Gwen when Merlin burst in the room.

"Have you forgotten how to knock, Merlin?!" She asked him startled.

"The guards are after him. I didn't know what to do." Merlin told us as a guard knocked on the door.

"My Lady?" He called knocking on the door again. "My Lady?"

"In there." Morgana said hiding them both behind a curtain. She and I made sure the curtain was closed before she opened the door.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, My Lady. We're searching for a young Druid boy. We believe he came this way." The guard told her.

"I haven't seen anyone. It's just me Princess Elizabeth and my maid." She told them calmly.

"Best keep the door locked till we find him." the guard informed her.

"Of course. Thank you." She said closing the door. She and I rushed to the curtain and opened it revealing Merlin holding the boy, his hand covered in the boys blood.

* * *

I was walking to my room thinking about the young Druid boy who'd fallen ill in Morgana's chambers. Would Uther really kill the young boy just for being a Druid? This thought and others like it plagued my mind as I walked that I never noticed Arthur calling my name behind me.

"Liz!" I jumped at my name as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Arthur! You surprised me. Is something wrong?" I asked him.

"Depends on the topic you ask about." He told me and I looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He motioned for us to continue walking. As we walked it was silent for a moment for Arthur to gather his thoughts I assumed.

"Some Druids were seen this morning, a man and a young boy. The man was captured but the boy is being hunted down as we speak. I just don't understand why he can't let them leave Camelot alive together." He confided in me.

"Did you bring this up with your father?" I asked him.

"Of course, but he insists that the Druids could bring magic back to the kingdom and he refuses to believe otherwise." he told me as we drew closer to our rooms.

"What will he do when he finds the boy?" I asked him, hoping the thoughts that plagued my mind would be false.

"Most likely kill him." He said confirming my fears.

"But he's just a boy. Maybe if he let him live the boy could spread the word and other witches and warlocks wouldn't come for revenge against Camelot." I told him.

"In the time you've been here do you really think my father will listen to us? We weren't around 20 years ago so we wouldn't know what we're talking about in his eyes." he told me and I sighed. He was right, Uther wouldn't listen to us

* * *

The next day I stood with Uther and Arthur on a balcony over looking the Druid man who was waiting to be executed. I didn't know why I had to be here but Uther had demanded it so I appeared.

"People of Camelot, the man before you is guilty of using enchantments and magic. Under our law, the sentence for this crime is death. We're still searching for his accomplice. Anyone found harboring the boy is guilty of conspiracy, and will be executed as a traitor. Let this serve as a warning to your people." Uther called out to the people then the man.

"You have let your fear of magic turn to hate. I pity you." The man called up to Uther. "Protect the boy for me, I beg of you." I looked down at the man and he was staring straight at me, but he hadn't spoke. How could I have heard him? I nodded my head to him and he looked at peace. Uther signaled for the man to be executed and I looked away.

"No!" I heard someone shout but saw no one moving or looking around for the shout. How could I be hearing this?

* * *

I spent most of my day in Morgana's chambers with the boy during the day now.

"How is he?" Merlin asked as he came in.

"He's sleeping. He's very pale. I worry he may have lost a lot of blood." Morgana told him.

"Has he said anything at all?" Merlin asked us looking at the boy.

"Nothing. He won't even tell us his name." I told him.

"You know, er, for a moment there earlier, I- I thought you were going to hand us over to the guards." Merlin said looking at Morgana with a sheepish look on his face.

"I'm glad you have so much faith in me, Merlin." She told him sarcastically giving him a warning look.

"No, no, sorry. Erm, I meant, you're the King's ward. You're taking a huge risk helping the boy." Merlin told her trying to save himself from an early grave.

"I wouldn't see an innocent child executed. What harm has he ever done anyone?" Morgana asked him and I smiled. I knew Morgana was a seer and I had a feeling that she knew that also now, especially after Sophia.

"Uther believes he has magic, and that makes him guilty." Merlin reminded her.

"Uther's wrong." Morgana told him flat out.

"You believe that?" I asked, making sure we were hearing things right.

"What if magic isn't something you choose? What if it chooses you?" She said looking at the boy. Merlin and I shared a look then he looked back at her while I watched the boy. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked him.

"Nothing." He told her still grinning like an idiot.

"Why are you helping him?" Morgana suddenly asked us.

"It was a spur of the moment decision. What do you think we should do with him? He can't stay here." Merlin reminded us.

"We have to find a way to get him back to his people." I told them.

* * *

That night Morgana Arthur and I were to dine with Uther and Arthur was running late. Uther had told us to start eating and Arthur would be with us shortly so we had followed his orders. The night was silent around us as we ate that night.

"The two of you seem troubled. Is something wrong?" Uther asked us.

"No, My Lord. I'm sorry I'm not better company." Morgana told him while I just smiled at him.

"And you Elizabeth?" He asked turning to me.

"I'm afraid I'm still not used to the executions so this mornings activities have set my stomach uneasy today." I told him.

"I'm merely concerned for the welfare of everyone in the kingdom, that's all. The two of you and Arthur in particular." He told us smiling at the two of us.

"Thank you, My Lord. All is well." I told him as Arthur walked in.

"What news of the hunt for the Druid boy?" Uther asked him and Morgana and I gave each other a worried look before turning to Arthur for his answer.

"We have conducted an extensive search. The boy is nowhere to be found." Arthur told his father.

"You mean you failed to find him?" Uther corrected angrily and I looked down to my food. I felt guilty about hiding this from Arthur but what more could I do?

"Perhaps he's already left the city." Arthur suggested to his father sitting down beside me at the table.

"You're telling me that a wounded boy is able to evade the guards and escape the city? Nonsense, someone's hiding him. I want him found." Uther demanded of him.

"He's just a boy. What harm can he do?" Arthur asked him the question we'd all wanted to ask.

"He is a Druid, and that makes him dangerous." Uther reminded him.

"But he's just a boy, perhaps he doesn't know how to properly use his powers." I told them.

"The Druids would see your father's kingdom destroyed." Morgana told him, trying to make it seem as though she was on Uther's side.

"I had no idea you were such an authority on Druids." Arthur told her getting angry.

"Morgana is right. Double your efforts." Uther demanded him.

"Yes, father." Arthur said finally giving up the fight with both of them.

"Keep searching until you find him." After the final command we all ate in silence.

* * *

The next day we were all worriedly waiting for Merlin to check over the boy. He'd had a slight fever this morning according to Morgana but it had grown worse since we had to wait for Merlin's morning duties for Arthur to finish.

"He's burning up. How long has he been like this?" He asked her.

"Since early this morning. I think his wound may be infected. We need Gaius before it gets any worse." She told him.

"No. We can't involve Gaius. It's too dangerous. Besides, if he finds out about this, he'll execute me himself." Merlin told us checking the wound.

"We need to get him out of Camelot, and we can't do that while he's sick. We need a physician." Morgana told him.

"I'll treat him." Merlin decided.

"Merlin, do you know how to treat an infected wound?" I asked him. Sure he'd been learning from Gaius for some time now but still...

"Not exactly, but I'm a fast learner." He told me. We heard footsteps coming toward the door before the knocking started. I closed the curtain hiding the boy and Merlin before Morgana opened the door.

"Arthur! To what do we owe this pleasure?" Morgana asked him opening the door wide enough for him to see me sitting close to the curtain.

"Don't get all excited. It's not a social call. I'm looking for the Druid boy. I'm afraid I'm going to have to search your chambers." He told her.

"You're not searching my chambers." She told him defiantly.

"I hope you're not going to search mine as well." I questioned him.

"Don't take it personally. I have to search the entire castle. Only take a few minutes." He told us as he walked in.

"I'm not having you mess up my things." She told him following him as he started to look through a small part of the room without touching anything.

"I'm not interested in your things, I'm just looking for any evidence that the Druid boy's in the castle." Arthur told her.

"Perhaps the Druid boy's hiding in your chambers. They're usually such a mess, you'd never know." Morgana reminded him.

"It's hardly my fault I have such a lazy idiot for a servant." He told her.

"Don't forget that your lazy idiotic servant is my brother Arthur."

"Sorry." He said looking to me slightly.

"If you can't even find your own servant, what hope do you have of finding the boy?" Morgana asked him as he turned to look at her.

"Really, I'm touched by the confidence you have in my abilities. And, as much as I'd love to stay and talk, the sooner we get started, the sooner we'll be finished." Arthur told us. In that moment I made a last ditch effort.

"Well, I'll save you the trouble." I told him

"Trust me, if I could find him, I would." He told me.

"The Druid boy's hiding behind the screen. I'm sure your father would love to know how you wasted your time by rifling through Morgana's things. Go on." I said motioning to the screen behind me. Morgana was looking at me like I was crazy, I was just hoping this would work.

"So you can have the satisfaction of making me look a fool?" He asked me with a smirk as he walked up to me. I must smiled sweetly at him a stood up almost meeting his height with my heels on.

"You don't always need any help looking like a fool. What are you waiting for? Take a look." I told him keeping my smile on my face.

"Why don't you go back to whatever it is that you do all day then meet me for dinner tonight?" he asked me his smile growing larger slightly.

"Deal." He turned and walked out of the room.

"Bye, Arthur. Good luck with the search!" Morgana called after him and we all sighed in relief.

* * *

We'd waiting for Merlin to come back for a while now.

"Where is he?" I asked wiping sweat off the boys head. We heard a knock on the door and Morgana rushed to check who was behind it then opened it wider and Merlin walked in.

"What took you so long?" I asked him.

"Sorry. Once Gaius gets talking about anatomy, there's no stopping him." I made a face at his words as he began treating the boy.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Morgana asked worriedly.

"I'm doing my best." Merlin told her.

"I'll get you some more water." Morgana told him walking out of the room.

"Speak to me." Merlin said suddenly to the boy and I just gave him a confused look.

"Morgana and I don't know if he can't speak, or... he's just too scared to." I told Merlin.

"He's been talking with me in my mind, that's how I found him." He told me.

"The man, the Druid man who was with him, did the same with me before he died." He looked at me strangely and we both looked to the boy for answers but none ever came.

"I'm going to see the dragon tonight. Come with me?" I just nodded to his question.

* * *

I joined Arthur for dinner that night but my mind was elsewhere.

"Liz? Are you alright?" Arthur asked me worriedly as Merlin served us our food.

"Yes, sorry. I'm just distracted this evening." I told him drinking some water.

"Tell me about it, maybe I can help you." He told me smiling. I saw Merlin glance at me.

"I'm just worried about the boy. Maternal instinct I guess." I told him.

"I think you'll make a terrific mother one day." he told me smiling and I couldn't help smiling back at him.

"Assuming I marry and have children." I told him.

"I wanted to give you something tonight but it seems to have been misplaced recently by someone." He said glancing at Merlin and I laughed a little. "When I find it again Ill give it to you. My way of apologizing for... last week." he told me. I raised my eyebrow at him, remembering the incidents with Sophia.

"Well when ever you find it go ahead and let me know." I told him. The rest of dinner passed with idol shit chat. When it ended Arthur walked me to my door and waited until I was inside to leave. When I heard knocking on my door I opened it and found Merlin outside.

"Ready?" He asked me and I nodded. We saw the guards continuing to search the castle as he went down the Tunnel Corridor to the Dragon's Cave.

"Hello?" Merlin called into the cave. The dragon roared as he came around the corner.

"Do you have to do that? You scared the life out of me." I told him knowing I would receive no answer.

"The young warlock and the young queen. No doubt you're here about the Druid boy." He said guessing part of the reason we'd come here.

"Among other things, yes. How did you know?" I asked him.

"Like Merlin, I hear him speak." The dragon told us.

"Why does he call me Emrys?" Merlin asked him.

"Because that is your name." the dragon told him.

"I'm pretty sure my name's Merlin, always has been." Merlin said sarcastically.

"You have many names." The dragon told him like it was obvious.

"Do I? How does the boy know who I am? I've never even met any Druids." Merlin told him.

"There is much written about you that you have yet to read. You should not protect this boy." The dragon warned us.

"Why? He has magic. He's just like me." Merlin told him.

"You and the boy are as different as day and night." the dragon said trying to explain it to us.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Heed my words." was all he said.

"Why could I hear the man? The Druid man right before he died he spoke to me. How could I hear him if I have no magic of my own?"

"There is much about you that you will learn at Arthur and Merlin's sides. they will need you as you need them." He said flying off not answering any of our questions.

* * *

The next morning Merlin and I made our way to Morgana's chambers and knocked on the door.

"It's Merlin and Liz" Merlin called to the women inside and Gwen opened the door.

"How is he?" I asked Morgana walking straight to her and the Druid boy.

"e's getting weaker. Whatever you did yesterday, it hasn't worked. We have to ask Gaius for his help. After all you've done, you can't give up now! Please! If he doesn't receive treatment, he'll die!" Morgana told Merlin.

"OK." Merlin said finally giving in and leaving to talk to Gaius.

* * *

Later that afternoon Gaius was examining the boy.

"I will treat the boy, but as soon as he's well, you must get him out of Camelot. And woe betide anyone caught helping him. Well, one thing we know for certain." Gaius said turning back to us.

"What's that?" Merlin asked him.

"You're no physician." I laughed.

* * *

After Gaius treated the boy Morgana, Merlin, Gwen and I were watching the guards in the lower town.

"Halt there." One of them said to a man pulling a cart out of the gate.

"The guards are searching everyone leaving the town." Gwen said as we watched.

"There is another way out. There's a secret door in the armoury. It leads to the lower town. I'll take the boy out that way." Merlin told us.

"No. It's too dangerous. I'll do it." Morgana told him and I looked at her in surprise.

"But I-I'm good with secret doors and things." He said trying to convince her.

"If you are caught, Uther will execute you. The boy's my responsibility. I'll smuggle him out of the castle." Morgana told us stubbornly.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were a Pendragon. You'll be needing a key for the door." I told her.

"Who has it?" She asked me.

"Arthur." Merlin and I said together.

* * *

Later that night Gwen and I were helping Morgana into one of Gwen's dresses.

"It'll have to do." She sighed to us. "I feel I've put you in danger without ever stopping to ask how you feel about it. I'm sorry." She said looking between us.

"I know how it feels to face the threat of execution. And I wouldn't wish that on anyone." Gwen told her before we heard knocking on the door.

"It's Merlin." Merlin called into us. Gwen opened the door and Morgana went to the Druid boy.

"We're going to get you out of Camelot. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise." Morgana told the boy.

"Are you ready?" I asked them and Morgana nodded to me.

"Did you get the keys?" Morgana asked Merlin.

"Yeah. Er, the door is behind the shield at the far end of the armory." Merlin told her.

"I'll pack you some food and water for the journey. Be careful." Gwen said as Morgana and the boy left the room. The three of us went to Gwen's house to help her prepare some travel supplies.

* * *

"I hope they're OK. Morgana really cares about the boy. I've never seen her this way with anyone." Gwen told as at her house.

"I'm sure she just wants to protect him." I told her doing the job she'd assigned me.

"Hmm." she said thoughtfully. Merlin then looked out the window as the warning bells sounded.

"They're coming." He told us and soon after they entered the small house.

"There's enough food for three days." Gwen told Morgana handing her the small bag.

"Your horse is fed and watered. I'll take you to it." Merlin told her.

"No. There's no point in all of us risking our lives." Morgana told him.

"What about you?" I asked her.

"I'm the King's ward. I'll take my chances." She told us with her head held high.

"Morgana!" Gwen gasped out at her.

"I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to any of you. We must go." Morgana told the boy.

"Goodbye, Emrys. Goodbye your majesty." I heard in my head and looked at Merlin in shock. After Morgana left I walked back to the palace with Merlin.

* * *

"Elizabeth." I turned and saw Arthur standing in my open doorway.

"Yes?" I asked him.

"We found the Druid boy with the person who hid him. Come with me." I got up and followed him to the Council Room. In the room was Uther and I stood beside where Morgana normally would at Uther's request as Arthur stood on his other side. Uther signaled for the guards to come in and the held Morgana in between them. The guards wee dismissed and the interrogation began.

"All this time, you've been hiding the boy in my own palace. How could you betray me like this?" Uther asked her.

"I would not see him executed." Morgana told him.

"I've treated you like a daughter. Is this how you repay me?" He asked his anger growing.

"I did what I thought was right." she told him and I looked down at my feet. I should help her but I didn't know what to say.

"You think it's right to conspire with my enemies against me?" He nearly yelled at her.

"How can this child be your enemy? He's just a boy." Morgana told him.

"He is a Druid." He told her.

"Is that such a crime?" Morgana asked him. I was about to say something to help her but she shook her head slightly.

"His kind would see me dead and this kingdom returned to anarchy and you would help them." Uther told her, revealing the crime.

"Then punish me... but spare the boy. I beg you." Morgana asked him.

"Make arrangements for the boy to be executed tomorrow morning." Uther told Arthur.

"No! Please. He's done nothing." Morgana begged him.

"Let this be a lesson to you." Uther told her.

"You don't have to do this." Morgana begged him again.

"Do you hear me? I want him executed at dawn." Uther told Arthur once more.

"Yes, Father." I looked at Arthur in shock.

"What have these people done to you? Why are you so full of hate?" Morgana asked him marching toward him and grabbing his arm. Uther grabbed her throat and pressed against a chair back. I began to run up to her but Arthur held me back.

"Enough! I will not hear another word! Do not speak to me until you are ready to apologize for what you've done." He left with Arthur behind him. The guards came in and took her away before I could try to talk to her.

* * *

The next day Merlin and I stood in Morgana's chambers, after she'd been released.

"I promised that I wouldn't let anything bad happen." Morgana told us looking out the window at the form of execution for the boy.

"You can't blame yourself. You tried your best." I told her.

"It's not enough." she said looking back at us.

"He's in jail now. There's nothing more we can do." Merlin told her.

"I will not let him die. Can I count on your help?" Morgana asked the two of us and we nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

Later that afternoon Arthur and I were following Uther down a corridor.

"Perhaps imprisonment is a more suitable punishment for the boy. I mean, he's so young." I tried convincing Uther.

"It would allow him to grow more powerful, more dangerous, until he strikes against us." He told me.

"We don't know he's gonna strike against us. He's yet to do anything." I told him.

"It is enough that his people conspire to overthrow me. This is harsh, but necessary. I take no pleasure in killing the boy." He tried explaining to me.

"Well, then spare him for Morgana's sake. She's clearly grown attached to the boy, and if you execute him I fear she will never forgive you." Arthur tried using Uther's weak spot for Morgana against him. Uther rounded on us.

"I do not seek her forgiveness! She has betrayed me!" Uther reminded us.

"Yet you're sparing her." Arthur pointed out.

"She has the promise I made her father to thank for that. The boy enjoys no such privilege. He will be executed at dawn. Is that clear?" Arthur and I nodded at him and continued walking.

* * *

Later that night Merlin and I were walking hoping to convince Arthur to help the boy. When we entered Morgana was already there with Arthur.

"Sorry. Were we interrupting something?" Merlin asked him as we glanced between them.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with, Merlin. Go make yourself useful and muck out my horses. I'm sorry Liz but I'm going to have to postpone our dinner." Arthur said never rising.

"I trust Merlin and Liz." Morgana told him and Arthur motioned for us to enter.

"We're going to break the Druid boy out of the dungeons." Arthur told us.

"You can't do that." Merlin told him and we all looked at him in shock.

"We have to. Uther's going to execute him at dawn." Morgana told Merlin.

"I mean... it's too dangerous. You've already been caught once, and if the King catches you a second time he'll never forgive you." Merlin told Morgana.

"I'm not worried for myself." Morgana told him

"Merlin's right. When Uther finds out the boy's escaped, he will suspect you being involved." I told Morgana walking to her and taking her hand. "It's suicide."

"You must go to my father and apologize. Dine with him, he cannot hold you responsible if you're with him when the boy escapes." Arthur told her.

"You need me if the plan's to work. You can't do this on your own." Morgana told him.

"Merlin will take your place." Arthur told her.

"Me?" Merlin asked him looking between all of us.

"I'm going to take the boy out through the burial vaults. There's a tunnel that leads beyond the city walls. Get my horse from the stables and meet me there. There's a grate that covers the entrance to the tunnel. Bring a rope and a grappling hook to pull it off." Arthur told him.

"No- no, I can't..." Merlin said trying to get out of it.

"Merlin. Do you understand? If you're not there to meet us, we'll surely be caught." Arthur told him and Merlin nodded at Arthur.

* * *

Later that night Merlin and I were sitting in the Gaius's chambers sitting and talking about what was only safe to talk about in here.

"I assume it's the plight of the Druid boy that's causing your forehead to wrinkle like a lizard's elbow." Gaius said looking at Merlin.

"Would you let something terrible happen if it meant you'd stop something even worse happening in the future?" Merlin asked us. Gaius and I looked at each other asking one another for information that neither could give.

"I suppose it depends on what the 'terrible' and 'even worse' things were." Gaius told him.

"One of them's bad, really bad. And the other, it's...unthinkable." Merlin told us.

"It sounds as if you've already made your decision. You can only do what you believe to be right, Merlin. I just hope it doesn't involve you putting yourself or anyone we care about in terrible danger." I told him.

"For once, you don't have to worry. I'm going to do nothing." He told us.

* * *

The next day I was walking with Arthur through the gardens and we were walking about the boy.

"So you were able to meet up with the Druids?" I asked him.

"Yes and I even got a name from the boy every one was trying to desperately to save. We almost didn't make it thought, Merlin was running late." he told me and I smiled.

"What was the boys name?" I asked him smiling.

"Mordred."


	9. Excalibur

**I want to thank all my devoted readers! You are what keeps me going with all my stories. While I love everything I wright your reviews keep a smile on my face and your ideas just might end up in one of the chapters. ****I wanted to specifically thank JohnCenaRkoFanForever and Bronzelovefor their reviews since the last update.**

**Sanura Bey**

* * *

I stood in the Hall of Ceremonies next to Uther and Morgana as Arthur knelt before his father, ready to take his vow.

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions according to the statutes, customs and laws laid down by your forebears?" Uther asked, starting the vows.

"I do, Sire."

"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgments?"

"I do, Sire."

"And do you swear allegiance to Camelot, now and for as long as you shall live?"

"I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its peoples."

"Now being of age and heir apparent, from henceforth, you shall be Crown Prince of Camelot." The entire court applauded and I smiled at Arthur as he stood and faced the crowd. A Black armored Knight on a horse chose that moment to burst through the stained-glass window. Uther pushed Morgana and I behind him slightly while Arthur and the knights drew their swords.

"What in the devil's name?" Uther asked while the horse walked to Arthur. The Black Knight threw down a gantlet at Arthur's feet and waited. Arthur sheathed his sword to pick up the gauntlet but another knight picked it up first.

"I, Sir Owain, accept your challenge." The knight said.

"Single combat. Noon tomorrow. Till the death." The black Knight told him then rose out.

* * *

The next day I was in Morgana's chambers with Arthur, Morgana and Gwen. Arthur was complaining about the other knight picking up the gauntlet, not out of jealousy or pride, but worry.

"He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet!" Arthur told us.

"So put an end to it." Morgana suggested to him.

"The challenge has been taken up. The fight cannot be stopped." Arthur told us pacing.

"Then fight in his place." Morgana told him.

"I can't." he told us.

"Why not?" I asked him.

"Owain picked up the gauntlet. Owain is the one who must fight. That's the Knight's Code. He knew that." Arthur told me.

"But it's a fight to the death!" I said, grabbing his hand before he walked away from me.

"I know." He told me squeezing my hand.

* * *

I was walking the castle that night, sleep evaded me when I tried earlier. I stopped in front of Arthur's open door and walked to the doorway. Arthur was staring outside the window so I knocked on the door to get his attention. He turned to me and smiled lightly.

"Liz, what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep so I decided to take a turn of the castle. Saw your door open." I told him walking to him. Outside the window was the Black Knight. "Guess he can't sleep wither."

"Normally someone would be practicing before a challenge, but not this guy." Arthur told me.

"Maybe he's arrogant, thinking he can win easily against one so young." I suggested to him.

"Maybe. You should be getting some sleep." He told me.

"As should you, big day tomorrow." I told him, wrapping my shawl tighter around me and leaving to go to my own room.

* * *

I sat next to Arthur's seat as the Black Knight waited in the arena at the Tournament grounds the next day for Sir Owain. Arthur entered the grounds with Owain.

"The fight shall be to the knight's rules! To the death!" Arthur called out walking to Uther and I. A guard came and got Sir Owain's cape as Arthur made his way to us in the stands. Sir Owain put his helmet and grabbed his sword. With both knights ready to fight as Arthur looked back to the field. "Let battle commence!" The Black Knight struck first and Sir Owain blocked with his shield. Sir Owain couldn't get a single blow on him. When he finally did get an attack in the Black Knight blocked them then kicked him away,

"One well-aimed blow!" Arthur called out to Owain. Owain stabbed the other knight in the gut and the crowd cheered. The only problem was that the knight kept fighting eventually killing Owain, making the crowd gasp in horror. The knight then turned to face the crowd and threw his gauntlet down.

"Who will take up my challenge?" He asked the knights. Arthur tried to bolt over the barrier, but Uther stopped him and another knight took it.

"I, Sir Pellinor, take up the challenge."

"So be it." The other knight then looked to us before exiting the arena and I looked to Merlin. The Black Knight was using magic.

* * *

Later that day Uther, Arthur and I entered the Council Chambers with Arthur extremely angry about his father stopping him from taking up the challenge.

"Why did you stop me?!" Arthur asked him.

"We have to give our knights the chance to prove themselves." Uther explained.

"Have you seen how this stranger fights?!" Arthur asked him.

"And Sir Pellinor is more than a match for him." Uther told him.

"He's not recovered from the wounds he suffered at Othanden." I told them.

"I can't help that." Uther told me.

"So you send him to his death?" Arthur asked him.

"It was his choice to take up the gauntlet! I am not to blame." Uther told him and I walked out to talk to Merlin and Gaius. They must have known something.

* * *

Merlin, Gaius and I entered the tunnel corridor to the burial vaults after they explained their theory.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Merlin asked Gaius.

"You're not scared, are you?" I asked teasing Merlin.

"No, I love old crypts. I wouldn't be seen dead anywhere else." He joked with me. The door then slammed shut behind us and we stared at it for a moment.

"Must've been a gust of wind." Gaius told us.

"We should've brought a torch." I told them, trying to look around.

"_Leohtbora." _Merlin said and a torch sitting on the wall of the tunnel corridor lit.

"Huh. Handy!" Gaius told him.

"Yes." Merlin said smiling. We walked among the graves looking for something.

"What are we looking for?" I asked them.

"Bring your torch over here." Gaius said and Merlin and I walked to him.

"We're breaking into someone's grave?" Merlin asked him as we looked at them.

"We're too late. I think someone's already broken out." I looked at the grave in question and saw rubble everywhere on it.

* * *

"Tristan de Bois was the brother of Ygraine, Uther's wife." Gaius told us in his chambers.

"Arthur's mother?" I asked him.

"Ygraine died in childbirth. He blamed Uther and came to the gates of Camelot and challenged him." Gaius told us.

"To single combat." Merlin said putting the pieces together.

"Uther won. But in his dying breath, Tristan cursed Camelot to one day suffer his return. I thought it was the ramblings of a dying man." Gaius told us.

"Men don't just rise up from the dead, though, no matter how angry they are." I told them as Gaius opened a book.

"It's my guess we're dealing with a wraith." Gaius told us.

"A wraith?" Merlin asked as we walked closer to the book so we could see inside it.

"The spirit of a dead man conjured from the grave." Gaius explained.

"So this is the work of a sorcerer?" Merlin asked him.

"Powerful magic can harness the grief and rage of a tormented soul and make it live again." Gaius explained to us.

"How do we stop it?" I asked him.

"We can't. Because it's not alive, no mortal weapon can kill it." Gaius told me and I looked at the table.

"Surely there must be something." I said looking back at him.

"Nothing can stop it until it has achieved what it came for." Gaius told me.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"Revenge." Gaius answered.

"On Camelot? What does that mean for Sir Pellinor?" I asked looking back to the table in sorrow. I knew the answer.

"I'm afraid it doesn't look good." Gaius told me.

* * *

The next day, Sir Pellinor fought who Merlin, Gaius and I thought was Tristan de Bois in the arena. Sir Pellinor was doing extremely well and the crowd cheered him on while I hoped for the best. But when Sir Pellinor ran him through, he did not fall.

"The sword went in, why didn't he fall?" Arthur asked to no one in particular.

"I wish I knew." I wish I could tell him. Tristan then killed Sir Pellinor and the crowd groaned Tristan turned to the crowd but instead of him throwing his gauntlet to the ground one of our knights did. Arthur.

"I, Arthur Pendragon, challenge you." Arthur called to Tristan.

"So be it." Tristan told him.

"Single combat. Noon. Tomorrow."

* * *

Arthur and I stood in the Council Chambers waiting for Uther.

"Why did you do that?" I asked him.

"I couldn't stand by and let our knights get killed. I had to do something." He told me.

"Sometimes, I think you are too kind for your own good." I told him. He smiled at me and pulled me close to him. Uther, of course, chose that moment to walk in.

"How could you be so stupid? I'll revoke the challenge." Uther told him.

"No. The Knight's Code must be upheld. That's what you told me." Arthur told him, not releasing his hold on me.

"This is different. Uther insisted.

"Once the challenge has been laid down it cannot be rescinded." Arthur reminded him.

"You are Crown Prince." Uther told him like it would make him change his mind.

"There cannot be one rule for me and one for all the rest." Arthur told him.

"I forbid you to fight." Uther told him.

"You want me to prove that I'm worthy of the throne. I cannot do that by being a coward." Arthur told him.

"No, Arthur, this will be your death!" Uther told him. Did he know about the wraith?

"I'm sorry you have so little faith in me, Father." Arthur said grabbing my hand and we walked out of the room.

"Arthur!"

* * *

"Arthur?" We'd been in his room for a while now, sitting in silence.

"Yes Liz?"

"Why don't you sit and eat something?" I asked him. Amanda had been by a little earlier and brought our food. When I asked after Merlin she'd told me she hadn't seen him. He walked to the table and sat next to me.

"I must be worrying you, I'm sorry." he told me as I poured him some water.

"I'm worried because this knight has killed two good knights and I don't want to lose you." I told him pouring myself some water then getting some food.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful. I promise." he told me. But knowing what I did, I almost couldn't help but to beg him to pull out of the fight.

"I know you will be. Now eat." I told him.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you'd made this yourself just from you wanting me to eat it so badly." He joked with me and I laughed lightly.

"Who knows, maybe I will one day." I told him.

"That'll be a day to remember." He told me. As we ate we talked about random topics, always avoiding the fight that was going to happen the next day. After dinner we looked out the window at the knight who hadn't moved from his spot.

"Would you like some wine?" He asked me holding the wine bottle in his hand.

"Why not?" I told him and he grabbed two glasses and poured us the wine then handed me a glass. "Thank you." Merlin then burst into the room.

"Merlin, you know that conversation we had about knocking..." Arthur said as we both stared at him.

"You have to pull out." Merlin told him.

"And why is that?" Arthur asked him.

"Because he'll kill you." Merlin told him. I'm guessing that Merlin tried using magic to kill the knight, but had no luck.

"Why does everybody think that?" Arthur asked him.

"Because they're right! Just pull out. You're the Crown Prince. No one wants to see you die over some stupid challenge." Merlin told him.

"I am not a coward." Arthur told him.

"I know that. I've stood there and I've watched you overcome every fear you've ever faced." Merlin told him.

"That's what's required of me." Arthur reminded him.

"But you are more than that. You're not merely a warrior. You're a prince, a future king! You've proved your courage, but you must prove your wisdom." Merlin told him trying to convince him to pull out.

"I'm not backing down." Arthur told him.

"Please, Arthur, listen to me. This is no ordinary knight. Look at him. He doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep. He just stands there, in complete silence. Doesn't that tell you something?" Merlin asked him, trying to make him see that the knight wasn't alive.

"No one is unbeatable." Arthur told him.

"If you fight him, you will die." Merlin told him flat out.

"I'm not listening to this." Arthur told him sitting at the table.

"I'm trying to warn you, Arthur." Merlin told him, but that only got Arthur upset with him.

"And I'm trying to warn YOU, Merlin!" Arthur shouted at him.

"Arthur, calm down. Merlin why don't you leave for now. I'll watch out for him tonight, don't worry." I told both boys. Merlin gave me a confused look and I glanced over at the bokks on the other side of the room then to Merlin. He nodded and left while I walked to Arthur. "You didn't have to be so hard on him."

"I thought he of all people would have faith in me." Arthur told me.

"He does, he's just worried. Everyone is. I'm surprised Morgana hasn't walked in yet asking you not to fight." I told him before the door opened revealing Morgana. Speak of the devil...

"I don't want you to fight tomorrow." she told him. Arthur snorted at her words and gave me a look.

"You're worried about me?" He asked her. I don't know if he'd wanted to prove me wrong or right, I hoped the later.

"I don't know what it is. Please, I'm begging you." She asked him.

"I have to do this. It's my duty." He told her.

"I understand." She told him then left. We were silent for a moment.

"See, we are all worried about you." I told him smiling.

"Maybe your right." He told me, holding my hand.

"Maybe?"

"You are." I smiled at him. "Why are you still in here anyway? You must be tired." He told me and I shook my head at him.

"I'm not leaving until you are asleep." I told him firmly. "There's been something I've been meaning to tell you something, and now I feel like it might be to late." I told him.

"It's never too late. Tell me now." He told me. I looked to the floor unsure whether to not to tell him. "Come on, now I'm curious. Tell me." I opened my mouth to tell him when we heard a knock on the door.

"We have a lot of visitors tonight don't we?" I asked him getting up and getting the door. When I opened it Gaius was there holding a potion.

"Liz, what are you doing in here?" He asked me.

"I'm visiting with Arthur before he goes to sleep tonight. Come in." I said moving out of the way.

"Arthur, I've brought you something that might help you to sleep." Gaius told him.

"I'm fine. I don't need it." Arthur told him.

"Here. It'll relax you, take the edge off your nerves." Gaius told him, handing him the vial. Arthur took it from him and drank it.

"I wouldn't drink it for pleasure." Arthur told him making a face at the taste.

"Why don't you sit down for a moment?" I suggested to him. Gaius and I moved him to bed so he could sleep.

"Mind you, if you...forget about the taste, the, er, after-effect is quite pleasurable." Arthur told us.

"Just lie back." I told him. He laid down and passed out.

"Come Liz, let him sleep." Gaius said. We walked out of the room but before we left Gaius locked the door.

"Gaius?"

"At the request of the king." Gaius said handing me the key. I nodded to him and went to my room to sleep.

* * *

The next day I was the only one where the royal family sat to watch the fight. Uther was taking Arthur's place and Arthur was still asleep. When Uther entered the area the crowd murmured the crowd mumbled their surprise.

"You can have what you came for. The father, not the son." I heard Uther tell Tristan and I stood. A guard removed Uther's cape and both fighters prepared for combat.

"The fight shall be to the knight's rules! To the death!" I called out to them. "Let battle commence!" The fight started with both fighters immediately attacking one another. Both were ruthless in their fighting techniques and both were evenly matched. Uther eventually knocked off Tristan's helmet to reveal a mummified face that roared at him. Tristan then managed to knock Uther's sword from him and pin him to the ground, but his sword gets stuck in Uther's shield. Uther kicks his shield at Tristan and quickly grabbed his sword and ran him through making Tristan explode. Uther got up and removes his helm as the crowd cheered for their king. Uther then tossed the sword to the ground. After the fight I quickly made my way to Arthur's chambers and unlocked the door. Arthur quickly opened them and looked at me angrily and betrayed.

"Gaius gave me the key last night. He said it was at the kings request." I told him, trying to throw away the hurt that was flashing at me. He quickly walked away and I followed him to the throne room, which we entered without knocking.

* * *

"Well, that should heal pretty quickly. I'll re-dress it tomorrow." Gaius told Uther.

"Thank you, Gaius. Thank you for everything." Gaius bowed to Uther and quickly made his way out of the room. I stood by the doors letting father and son have their moment.

"You had Gaius drug me and Liz hold the key to my room! I was meant to fight him!" Arthur yelled at his father.

"No, you weren't." Uther told him honestly.

"But the Knight's Code is very clea..." Uther never let his son finish that sentence.

"Be damned! I believed you would die. And that was a risk I could not take. You are too precious to me. You mean more to me than anything I know, more than this entire kingdom, and certainly more than my own life." Uther told him and I smiled. In his own way he told Arthur he loved him deeply, and in the long run that would mean the world to Arthur.

"I... always thought that..." Arthur broke off and looked to me. I nodded my head at him, urging him to continue.

"What?" Uther asked looking between us.

"That...I was a big disappointment to you." Arthur finally told him.

"Well, that is my fault, and not yours. You are my only son. And I wouldn't wish for another." Uther told him and my smile only grew.

"I heard you fought pretty well." Arthur told him, lightening up the tension in the room.

"Thanks."

"You should join us for training. Sort out your footwork." Arthur joked with him.

"I'll show you footwork." Uther got up and playfully kicked at Arthur who dodged it and ran out the door holding my hand in his, laughing.

"I'm sorry. For my part in locking you up. I didn't know until after Gaius locked the door." I told him when we finally stopped running.

"All is forgiven." He told me, holding me close.


	10. The Moment of Truth

"Liz!" I turned from my horse I was preparing for the ride Arthur and I were to go on to see Merlin running to us.

"You're late Merlin." Arthur told him. Uther had required us to have at least one person to watch us just to make sure that nothing inappropriate happened.

"Liz! Mum's here something happened back home!" he told me and I dropped what I was holding.

"Where is she?!"

* * *

Mother stood before Uther, Arthur, Morgana and I and the rest of the court.

"The winters are harsh in Ealdor, and there are many children. Some of them just won't be strong enough to survive. We barely have enough food as it is, and if Kanen takes our harvest, our children won't live to see another summer. Please, we need your help." My mother begged Uther.

"Ealdor's in Cenred's kingdom. Your safety is his responsibility." Uther reminded her.

"We've appealed to our King, but he cares little for the outlying regions. You're our only hope." my mother told him and I didn't doubt it. King Cenred never really cared for them even before I was there.

"I have the deepest sympathy for you and would have this barbarian wiped off the face of the earth." Uther told her. His words made me hopeful that we could help.

"You'll help us?" My mother asked him.

"I wish I could." Uther told her.

"Surely we can spare a few men?" Arthur said grabbing my hand. He knew how much she meant to Merlin and I and I knew he would do what he could.

"Resources are not the problem." Uther told him.

"Then what is?" I asked him.

"Ealdor lies beyond the Ridge of Essetir. For an army of Camelot to enter it would be an act of war." Uther told me and my mother dropped to her knees.

"I know you're a good king, a caring man. I'm begging you, help us, please."

"The accord we've struck with Cenred was years in the making. I cannot risk hundreds of lives for the sake of one village. I'm afraid Camelot cannot help." I glared at him and helped my mother up then escorted her to Gaius's chambers with Arthur and Merlin behind me.

"You've changed so much." My mother told me as we walked.

"I hope not too much, I wouldn't want to have you not recognize me." I told her smiling.

"It's not that kind of change, my dear. I must admit though the royal garb suits you, it's an inward change. You must care for him deeply." mother told me and I looked to Arthur behind us and smiled before turning back around. "And you Merlin, is there a woman in your life?" mother asked him.

"No." he told her.

"That all depends on who you ask. He says no but everyone knows he's in love with a young woman named Gwen." I told her laughing slightly.

"No I'm not." Merlin told her and I laughed at him.

"I'm glad to see your new station in life hasn't changed your relationship with each other." Mother told us.

"I don't think anything could do that." Arthur told her from behind us. I slowed so I could walk next to him behind Merlin and our mother. "There are times when we'll be looking all over for her and she'll be in Gaius' Chambers just talking with the two of them." My mother laughed a little at him.

"That sounds like them." She told him. We continued walking and talking about the past and somethings we've come across since we'd been here, keeping my near death out of it.

* * *

Later that day Arthur and I were looking at the view on the battlements when Merlin joined us.

"How is she?" I asked him.

"She's getting her eye looked at by Gaius then she'll be ready." Merlin told me.

"I'm sorry. If it were up to me, we'd be on our way there now." Arthur told us.

"You tried. And thank you for getting an audience with the King." Merlin said looking at the two of us.

"I wish that Camelot was able to help people regardless of how far away they lived." Arthur told us.

"I'm going back to Ealdor." Merlin told him.

"As am I." I told them both. Arthur looked at both of us in silence for a moment.

"Of course." He told us, understanding why we had to go.

"It's been an honor serving you." Merlin told him.

"You'll be coming back." Arthur told him looking at me.

"She's our mother. We have got to look after her before anyone else. You understand?" I asked him.

"I'd do exactly the same. Well Merlin, you've been terrible. Really, I mean it. The worst servant I've ever had."

"Thank you, Sire." Merlin thanked him, knowing that he'd miss him.

"Merlin. Good luck." Merlin nodded to him then left us alone.

"Liz, I hope you return to us safe." he told me.

"Perhaps I will." I told him. "You and your father have been extremely kind to me. Thank you." I said tears filling my eyes slightly.

"There was something you wanted to tell me a while ago, what was it?" he asked me moving to stand closer to me.

"That seems like so long ago now." I said laughing. "I love you." I told him as the tears fell in waves.

"I love you." he told me kissing me gently.

* * *

After my time with Arthur I got changed into something I could easily travel and fight in. I changed into tight black pants and a black top that I could easily move in. I then went to Gwen's with Merlin who offered to help us with anything we would need on our trip.

"Here." She said handing us each a sword. Merlin and I took the blades and I swung mine around a little bit. "Tell me how it feels?" she told us.

"It feel good. Do you happen to have any bows and arrows as well?" I asked her.

"Of course." she told me going to get them.

"Thanks Gwen." I told her testing the bow out.

"Merlin? How's it feel?" She asked him.

"Yeah. Yeah that feel...that feels really good. It's very, erm, you know...swordy." he told her and she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I've packed some armor for you as well." She told us showing us the small pile.

"We won't be able to carry all that." Merlin told her. Morgana then walked in dressed in trousers and a corseted tunic.

"You won't have to. We're coming with you." She told us.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"You're going to need all the help you can get. I can mend armor and sharpen swords." Gwen told us.

"And I know how to fight." Morgana told us.

"But y-y- you can't. I mean, why would you?" Merlin asked looking at both of them.

"If it was the other way around, you'd help us. You already have. You saved my life." Gwen reminded us.

"And you helped me get the druid boy out of Camelot. We owe it to you. Both of you." Morgana told us and Merlin and I looked at each other.

* * *

"You got the food I prepared for you?" Gaius asked us as I waited for Merlin.

"Yes." I told him.

"Be careful with the wine. You know what you're like. One whiff of a barmaid's apron and you're singing like a sailor." Gaius told Merlin and I laughed.

"I'll be fine." Merlin told him.

"Are you sure you don't want an extra blanket?" Gaius asked us,

"It's okay, really. We'll be alright." I told him.

"Well, make sure you are. Do whatever it takes." He told us hugging us both. We then left and prepared our horses for the journey.

"I see Morgana and Gwen are going with you." I turned and looked at Arthur. Uther stood at the top of the steps watching all of us prepare.

"They offered their help and wouldn't allow us to say no." I told him getting my horse ready.

"Here let me help you." He said pushing me out of the way and prepare the horse.

"Thank you." I said and began to fill the horses pack. "Your taking a sword?" he asked me looking at my weapons.

"Yes. We need to be prepared for anything, including a fight." I told him preparing my bow. We finished preparing my horse and pack. "I'll be seeing you." I told him hugging him close. When we let go of each other I got on my horse with the others and I waved to Uther and Gaius. "I love you."

"I love you." And the five of us rode for Ealdor.

* * *

That night, Merlin and I sat at the campfire with our mother while the others asleep.

"They shouldn't be here. Especially the Lady Morgana. Isn't she the King's ward?" Mother asked us.

"Not that you'd know it. She's the only person other than Liz who I know who isn't frightened of him." Merlin told her.

"It won't make any difference to Kanen that they're women." mother told us.

"I know. But we couldn't talk them out of coming." I told her. I looked at the bruise on her face, proof that Kanen didn't care about hurting women.

"I want to make him pay for what he did to you." Merlin told her.

"Promise me you'll be careful. No one can find out about you." Mother told him.

"They won't. They never do." Merlin told her.

"Get some rest." I told mother. Mother smiled at me then went to lay down. Merlin took a burning stick from the fire and blew some of the flecks into the air.

_"Draca." _The glowing flecks took the shape of the Pendragon dragon and I smiled at it, picturing Arthur.

"You miss him, don't you?" Merlin asked me.

"Of course I do. He's the only one man than you and Will who've ever shown me any type of care." I told him.

"Will was in love with you growing up and you know that." Merlin laughed at me.

"I never knew that and you know it." I told him.

"Go to bed Liz, I'll keep watch." He told me. I kissed his cheek and bid him good night as I laid down and fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke up I was surprised to see Arthur sitting by last nights fire.

"Arthur?" I asked he turned to me and smiled immediately.

"Hey Liz." I got up and attacked him hugging him close.

"I never thought I'd see you again." I whispered to him.

"I'd never leave you alone to fight this." he told me and I let him go.

"Thank you." Everyone else soon woke up and we prepared to leave to Ealdor. When we arrived we saw a man about to kill another man.

"No!" Arthur then threw a sword into the post behind the man with the ax. We rode up and dismounted and fought the bandits.

"Kill them!" I assumed was Kanen ordered and the battle was on. One bandit came right at me and I blocked his attack with my sword and pushed him away. He did most of the attacking at first while I blocked him until I finally knocked him down and stabbed him. The man I assumed was Kanen mounted his horse and turned to us.

"You'll pay for this with your lives! All of you!" he told us and they rode away and I walked and checked on Merlin.

"You alright?" I asked him.

"Yeah." he told me.

"You still up to the same old magic tricks again? Look, I thought I told you I didn't want your kind around here?" we looked quickly to see Will smiling at us. We smiled back at him, happy to see our old friend.

"We missed you, too, Will." Merlin told him and we all had a group hug.

"It's good to see you again." I told him as we separated.

"How've you been? I hear you're some long lost princess?" he asked me.

"Not so lost now, am I?" I asked him.

"And I, er, hear you're skivvying for some prince." He said looking at Merlin.

"No. I wouldn't say I'm a skivvy." Merlin told him.

"Merlin! Gather the villagers, I need to talk to them." Arthur called to us.

"Yeah, in a minute. I'm just talking..." Merlin started telling him.

"Now, Merlin. There isn't much time." Arthur told him.

"Yes, Sire." Merlin said and walked to gather the villagers.

"We'll talk later." I told Will, smiling at him before joining Arthur. "Take it easy on Merlin, it's been a while since we've been home." I reminded him.

"Kanen won't give us another chance like that again, we have to hurry." he told me wrapping his arm around me.

"Well just take it easy. We have friends here that he'll want to catch up with." I told him as the village gathered around him. Morgana, Gwen, Merlin and I stood behind him.

"I know Kanen's kind. He'll be back. And when he is, you must be ready for him. First of all, we have to prepare for..." Arthur tried warning them but Will interrupted him.

"Am I the only one wondering who the hell this is?" Will called out.

"I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot." Arthur introduced himself to them and Will scoffed at him.

"Yeah, and, er, I'm Prince William of Ealdor." Will mocked him.

"Keep quiet. He's here to help us." Mother told him.

"But he's made things worse. Kanen will be back, and when he is, he'll be looking for revenge. You've just signed our death warrants." Will told us.

"He saved Matthew's life!" Mother reminded him as well as reprimanding him.

"That's alright, Hunith. This is his village. What would you have us do?" Arthur asked Will.

"We can't fight against Kanen. He has too many men." Will told us.

"So what's the alternative?" Arthur asked him.

"Give him what he wants." Will replied and the villagers shook their heads at that option.

"Then what? Those of you who don't starve to death will face him again next harvest! And the harvest after that." Arthur told him.

"We'll manage. We'll survive."Will told us.

"How?" One of the villagers asked him.

"The only way he can be stopped is if you stand up to him." Arthur told him.

"No. You just want the honor and glory of battle! That's what drives men like you! Look, if you want to fight, then go home and risk the lives of your own people, not ours!" Will told him walking away.

"Will." Merlin and I called after him.

"I'll follow you. If I'm to die, then I want to go out fighting." Mother told him.

"That goes for me, too." Matthew said.

"You can count me in." Some of the men started saying.

"I'm in." The women started chiming in.

"Me too!"

"Yeah!"

"You can count me in!"

* * *

The next day we were all ready except for Arthur who had Merlin help him put his jacket on.

"You still not learned how to dress yourself?" Morgana asked him.

"You don't have a dog and fetch the stick yourself. No offence, Merlin." Arthur told him.

"None taken." Merlin told him.

"Prince Arthur, you didn't finish your breakfast." Mother told him handing him the bowl.

"Didn't I?" Arthur asked her and I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, eat up." Morgana told him. He took the bowl and waited for Mum to turn her back and pretended to eat it.

"Mmmmm." he said and I just stared at him and shook my head at him. He then handed the bowl to Gwen. "Right. Let's get going. We need wood, and lots of it."

"Of course." Both men left the house for whatever they needed. Gwen finished Arthur's breakfast and handed the bowl to my mother.

"Arthur said it was lovely." she told her as she and Morgana left the house.

"He must care for you a great deal." Mother told me.

"Arthur'd do the same for any village. That's just the way he is." I told her.

"It's more than that. He's here for you and Merlin." She told me.

"I'm just a visiting princess and his servant's sister." I told her and she gave me a look.

"Give him more credit than that. He loves you." she told me and I smiled at the dishes I was cleaning.

"That's because he doesn't know Merlin's secret. And if he did, Merlin and I'd probably be dead by now." I told her.

"You don't really believe that, do you?" She asked me and I looked down and continued my work.

* * *

Later that day I was with Morgana and Gwen as we watched Arthur train the village men.

"I won't be able to teach you everything there is to know about fighting with a sword, but you can learn the basics: the stance, how to parry a blow, how to land your own. On my count! One! Two! Three! Four! Now, you may have to watch for the feint. So, keep your feet moving, and only stay in range long enough to land your blow. And again. One! Two! Three! Four!" Arthur told them. "One! Two! Three! Four!"

"There is no way they're going to be able to hold Kanen off." Morgana told us.

"Men aren't the only ones who can fight." I reminded her putting some swords down for Gwen.

"Again. One! Two! Three! Matthew. I want you to organize sentry duty to keep an eye out for Kanen and his men." Arthur told Matthew, who was doing a horrible job during training.

"Be glad to." Matthew told him smiling.

"If there's any sign of attack, I want you to ride straight back here. I don't want you fighting all on your own."

"Ha-ha." Matthew laughed lightly and nodded to Arthur, leaving for his task.

* * *

Later after the first part of the training Arthur was drawing water from the well for him and I to drink.

"Thank you." I said getting a quick drink leaving the rest for him.

"Looks like the battle's already fought and lost." Morgana said looking at the men.

"They'll toughen up." Arthur told her.

"They need to." Gwen told him.

"How are we doing for weapons?" Arthur asked us.

"There isn't much, but we should be able to scrape together what you need." Gwen told him.

"It's not the weapons that worry us. It's having enough people to use them. We think the women should be allowed to fight." I told him.

"You haven't enough men. If they were trained soldiers, maybe you'd stand a chance, but they're not." Morgana told him.

"It's too dangerous." He told us walking back to the resting men. "Right! Back on your feet! Come on, let's go!"

* * *

That night as we laid on the ground going to sleep I'd overheard Gwen and Morgana talking in the next room.

"We don't stand a chance." Gwen told Morgana.

"Arthur can't see that. He's too stubborn." Morgana told her.

"Why do you think he came here?" Gwen asked.

"The same reason we did: Liz and Merlin. Arthur may act like he doesn't care, but he wouldn't be here if he didn't." Morgana told her and I

* * *

The next day I was in the village helping my mother get ready for the attack that was too come. A woman then screamed and we quickly ran in that direction. We arrived in time to see Matthew slung over a horse, dead.

"Get him down from there!" Arthur ordered and the men took Matthew down as we all gathered around them. Arthur took the note off the arrow that was stabbed into him and read it.

"What does it say?" Merlin asked him.

""Make the most of this day, it will be your last."" Arthur read to us. A woman pushed her way past us to Matthew and screamed in pain.

"Matthew! No! No! No!"

"You did this! Look what you've done! You've killed him!" Will shouted at him coming out of the crowd. Merlin and I stood in front of Arthur, keeping Will back.

"It wasn't his fault." I told him.

"If he hadn't been strutting around, treating us like his own personal army, this would never have happened!" Will shouted at me.

"These men are brave enough to fight for what they believe in, even if you aren't!" Arthur shouted at him.

"You're sending them to their graves! You killed one man. How many more need to die before you realise this a battle that can't be won? When Kanen comes, you haven't got a chance. You're gonna be slaughtered." Will shouted before walking off again.

* * *

Arthur was sharpening his sword with me next to him when Merlin joined us.

"William's father was killed fighting for King Cenred, so he doesn't trust anyone of nobility." Merlin explained to him.

"Do you think the villagers believed him?" Arthur asked us.

"No. He's always been a troublemaker. They're used to ignoring him." I told him.

"And if he's right?" Arthur asked us and I gave him a look.

"He isn't." I told him/

"I'm treating these men like soldiers, and they're not. You've seen them fight. They...they haven't got a clue! You need to tell them all to leave the village before Kanen returns." Arthur told us looking to the village.

"No, we're going to stay. We're going to fight, and we're going to win." Merlin told him.

"Merlin, it can't be done. The odds are too great." Arthur told him.

"It can. We're going to make Kanen rue the day he ever came to this village. All you need to do is get the men ready for battle, and the rest will take care of itself." I told him.

"How?" Arthur asked and Merlin and I were silent for a moment, thinking of what to say.

"You've just got to believe in them. Because if you don't, they'll sense it, and the battle'll be lost before it's even begun." Merlin told him.

* * *

That afternoon, we were all in the commons area as Arthur addressed the villagers.

"Tomorrow morning, the women and children should gather what belongings they can carry and go to the woods." I gave him a look once more and stepped forward.

"We're not going anywhere!" I told him.

"I know you want to help. The women can't stay here. It's too dangerous." He told us.

"The women have as much right to fight for their lives as the men do!" I told him.

"But none of you know how to fight." Arthur told me looking at the women.

"The more of us there are, the better chance we stand!" I told him as the other women stepped forward behind me, supporting me.

"This is your home. If you want to fight to defend it, that's your choice. I'd be honored to stand alongside you. Kanen attacks tomorrow. Kanen's brutal. He fights only to kill, which is why he will never defeat us. Look around. In this circle, we're all equals. You're not fighting because someone's ordering you to, you're fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes. You fight for your family. You fight for your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace. And if you fall, you fall fighting for the noblest of causes: fighting for your very right to survive! And when you're old and grey, you'll look back on this day, and you'll know you earned the right to live every day in between! So you fight! For your family! For your friends! For Ealdor!" He said raising his sword at the final word. The villagers raised the swords that were around us into the air.

"For Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor!" we all shouted. Arthur looked to me, worry flashing in his eyes and I smiled at him. We could do this.

* * *

When Merlin and I got home we say mother sitting at the table.

"Come here." she told us. we sat down at the table with her. She grabbed our hands and smiled at us.

"I do love you, both of you." She told us.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"I should never have gone to Camelot. I've ruined everything for you." she told us and I looked at her confused.

"You haven't. Why would you say that?" Merlin asked her.

"I know what you're planning to do." I looked at the two of them confused until Merlin sighed at us.

"Merlin!"

"If it comes to a choice between saving people's lives and revealing who I really am, there is no choice." he told us shrugging.

"You can't let Arthur know about your gift." Mother told us.

"Why not? Maybe it's meant to be this way. And if he doesn't accept me for who I really am, then he's not the friend I hoped he was." he said looking at the two of us. I smiled at him and grabbed his hands.

* * *

I walked out to the woods the next day to Arthur who was standing watch for Kanen and his men with something I'd cooked for everyone. He was the only one was wasn't there for lunch.

"Arthur, I made you some food." I told him handing him the bowl smiling.

"Thanks." he told me smiling and I turned to leave the area when I heard him mumble "I think." I stopped and turned back to him glaring.

"Food is scarce for these people, you shouldn't turn your nose up at it!" I told him and he stared at me.

"Liz." Arthur started but I didn't let him finish.

"Sorry, I know you're not used to this kind of life." I told him.

"Thank you. You're right. And you were right to speak up last night. I should've listened to you, Gwen and Morgana. We're going to need all the help we can get." Arthur told me.

"We'll be fine." I told him as I hugged him tightly.

"How can you be so sure?" Arthur asked me.

"Because I have faith in you. We all do." I reassured him and he smiled at me.

"Thank you."

* * *

The next day was the day of the battle and we all suited up for what was too come.

"Are you ready for this?" Morgana asked me.

"Of course not. Are you?" I asked the girls.

"My throat's a little dry." Gwen told us and we laughed a little.

"If we don't make it today..." I started telling them but Morgana broke me off.

"Don't talk like that." She told me. We all smiled at each other and prepared for the fight to come. We all took our stations and waited for the signals. When they crossed the river Morgana ran to the house then Arthur and Merlin joined us.

"You ready?" Arthur asked us.

"Ready." A villager told him.

"For Ealdor." Arthur said holding my hand. "Are you frightened?" he asked me.

"Yes. But everything will be fine, we have everyone helping." I told him smiling. We all took our hiding positions as Kanen and his men rode our of the woods and into the village. Kanen and his men stopped and looked around the village.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." Kanen called out.

"Now, pull!" Another villager and I pulled up a hidden gate, trapping the riders inside. Merlin then rushed away from us towards Morgana. "Merlin!"

"There's one. Get him!" Kanen shouted and his men fired at him. "Kill him!" Kanen's men fired at Merlin and he dodged again and again until he made it to the others. A string of fire then clocked Kanen's men from leaving the village from the other way.

"Come back! Don't run away!" Kanen called to his men as they ran away and they rode back into the village.

"Now!" Arthur called out. The villagers gave a battle cry as we all sprang out of hiding to fight. A rider came up to me and I used a staff to knock him off his horse. I pulled out my sword as he got up and drew his blade. I attacked him and he blocked my attack pushing me back and attacking. I eventually killed him and moved on to the next guy. As time passed I noticed people starting to lose ground.

"There's too many of them." I mumbled to myself. All the sudden a windstorm started and the bandits fled. I turned to see Merlin and Will staring out at Merlin's work. I walked over to them and watched at Morgana and Gwen hugged at our victory. "You did it." I said holding their hands in mine.

"Pendragon!" We turned and watched as Arthur fought Kanen and won. He then marched towards us angrily. "Who did that?"

"What?" Merlin asked him.

"Wind like that doesn't just appear from nowhere. I know magic when I see it. One of you made that happen." Arthur told us.

"Arthur..." I said trying to calm him down. We noticed Kanen pick up a crossbow and aim it at Arthur.

"Look out!" Will pushed Arthur out of the way and got hit by the arrow.

"Will!" Merlin and I shouted running to him.

"You just saved my life." Arthur stated looking at him in shock.

"Yeah. Don't know what I was thinking." Will told him.

"Come on! Get him inside!" Arthur ordered and we all rushed him into his house.

* * *

"That's twice I've saved you." Will told Arthur as he laid on the table dying.

"Twice?" Arthur asked him.

"Yeah, it was me. I'm the one that used the magic." Will lied to him.

"Will, don't." Merlin told him as I held his hand.

"It's alright, Merlin. I won't be alive long enough for anyone to do anything to me. I did it. I saw how desperate things were becoming and I had to do something." Will told him.

"You're a sorcerer?" Arthur asked him.

"Yeah. What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Will joked with him.

"No. Of course not. Do what you can for him." Arthur ordered Merlin and Merlin nodded his response.

"Hey Liz." I grabbed Will's hand.

"What is it Will?" I asked him.

"I always did love you, you know that. Right?" he asked me. I smiled at him and nodded.

"Yea. I know that." I told him tears falling down my face. I looked at the door and saw Arthur looking at Will then me before leading Morgana and Gwen out of the room.

"I was right about him. I told you he was going to get me killed." Will told us.

"You're not going to die." Merlin told him.

"You're a good man, Merlin. A great man. And one day, you're going to be servant to a great king. Now you can still make that happen." Will told him. "And you Liz, you'll make a wonderful queen."

"Thanks to you." I told him.

"This place has been boring without you. It was good to see you again." he told us.

"Yeah, you too." Merlin told him as I gripped his hand tighter.

"Merlin. Liz, I'm scared." Will told us crying.

"Don't be. It's going to be alright." I told him smiling as I cried.

"Merlin... Lizzy..." Will stopped talking and breathing and I started to shake him.

"Will? Will! Finish what you were going to say! Damn it, Will! Come back! Come back..." I cried and Merlin hugged me closely and we cried for our lost friend.

* * *

We all stood at Will's funeral pyre watching his body become ash.

"I'm sorry. I know he was a close friend." Arthur told Merlin and I as we all stood together.

"He still is." Merlin told him.

"You knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you? That's what you were going to tell me?" Arthur asked him. There was a brief silence between them as we watched the flames.

"Yes. It was." Merlin told him.

"You know how dangerous magic is. You shouldn't've kept this from me, Merlin." Arthur told him before walking away and checking on our other companions as mother walked up to us.

"You better be going." she told us.

"We don't have to go." Merlin told her but I knew I would go back. Camelot was my home and I wouldn't be able to leave it now.

"Yes, you do." she told him, knowing I'd already decided to go.

"If anything were to happen to you..." Merlin started saying but was broken off my mother.

"I know where to find you. You have to go, Merlin. You belong at Arthur's side. I've seen how much he needs you. How much you need him. You're like two sides of the same coin." she told him.

"I've heard someone say that about us before. I'm going to miss you." he told her. We all hugged each other for one last time.

"I'm going to miss you, too. When you left, you were just children. Now look at you. I'm so proud of you." she told us. The next day we left on our journey back home.


	11. The Labyrinth of Gedrof

I stood with Uther and the court as Arthur and his knights entered the chamber with Merlin carrying something on a pillow.

"Father! A unicorn's horn to grace the walls of Camelot." Arthur said and I felt my heart break at his words.

"Magnificent. It's the first one I've seen." Uther said as he took the horn from the pillow. "Gaius, look at this." Uther said and Gaius walked up to look at the horn. I glanced at Merlin and saw sadness in his eyes.

"It is very impressive, My Lord." Gaius told him.

"What is it, Gaius? Speak your mind." Uther told him.

"Unicorns are rare and mystical creatures. There is a legend that says that bad fortune will come to anyone who slays one." Gaius warned him, but the King and Prince would hear none of it.

"Nonsense. We will be the envy of every kingdom." Uther told everyone.

"I'm pleased you like it." Arthur said grinning at his father. Arthur just wanted to protect the people and please his father, I knew that but this wouldn't end well.

* * *

Merlin, Gaius and I were walking through the Square and talking quietly.

"I don't understand how Arthur can have taken any pleasure from killing the unicorn." I told them.

"Arthur is a hunter. It's in his blood. Whereas you are something entirely different." Gaius told me.

"It was the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I wish you two could have been there." Merlin said.

"It's a rare privilege. Alas, there are few unicorns still alive." Gaius told us.

"You try telling that to Arthur." Merlin told him.

"I can imagine it would be difficult." I tried joking with them.

* * *

"My horse threw a shoe. Take it to the blacksmith. Make sure he does a good job. And when you've done that, you can polish my s..." I watched Arthur turn around and see Merlin staring out the window. What happened while they were on their hunting trip really affected him. "...saddle. Merlin? Have you listened to a word I've said?" Merlin turned and nodded at him. "You've got a face like a wounded bear ever since we got back from that hunting trip. Don't tell me you're still upset about the unicorn."

"I don't think you should have killed it." Merlin told him as I sat on Arthur's bed.

"Oh, really? And why is that?" Arthur asked him.

"It was... It was doing no harm. What purpose did you serve by killing it?" Merlin asked him trying to understand his reasoning.

"We were hunting. That's what you do. Would you have me bring it home as a pet? Look at this." Arthur said looking down at the ground. I stood and walked to him.

"What?" Merlin asked finally coming from the window.

"Do you know what that is?" Arthur asked him.

"No." Merlin told him when he finally saw what Arthur and I were looking at.

"Rat droppings. My chambers are infested. You need to spend less time worrying about unicorns and more time worrying about rats." Arthur told him as someone knocked on the door. "Enter!" a guard entered his chambers.

"My Lord, My Lady, the King requests your services as a matter of urgency." he told us before leaving.

"Find that rat." Arthur ordered as he and I left the room.

* * *

Uther, Arthur and I were standing in a field that looked like someone had killed everything in it. Uther picked a dead piece of wheat stalk from the field and crumbled it in his hand.

"Every single ear has died. We've received reports that it's the same throughout the entire kingdom." Uther told us.

"I rode through this valley only yesterday. The crop looked healthy enough then." Arthur told him.

"It happened overnight?" I asked them.

"Farmers are at a lost to explain it." Uther told us standing up.

"Is it a disease of some kind?" I asked them.

"Perhaps. I've asked the court physician to conduct some tests. We must ration what little food we have left." Uther told us.

* * *

Arthur, Uther and I watched as villagers stood in a long queue leading into the palace grounds as a guard rationed out grain.

"Next!" the guard called out.

"The livestock is either dying or has been eaten. Food and water's very scarce and we're distributing rations, but they're very meager." Arthur told us as he opened a small shaft in the grain store, dumping out a small pile of grain.

"This is all the grain we have?" Uther asked him.

"The people are growing scared. There's been some looting." Arthur told him.

"We must maintain order at all costs. Panic will make the situation worse. I'll issue a decree that looters will be executed. From tonight, Camelot will be under curfew." Uther ordered.

"I'll see to it." Arthur told him and his father walked away.

"How are you doing?" I asked him.

"Our people are starving. How should I feel?" he asked me.

"I'm sorry." I apologized and began to walk away but he didn't let me get very far.

"Wait, I'm sorry. This isn't your fault, I know that. This is just frustrating." he told me pulling me close to him.

"I know it is. If you need to talk about this or anything else. Tell me." I told him smiling.

"I knew there was a reason I loved you. You're always there for me, no matter what." he said and kissed me gently.

"Always and forever. Or until you tire of me." I told him smiling.

* * *

Merlin had run to Arthur and I as we were walking the halls.

"Arthur! Liz"

"What is it Merlin?" I asked him smiling.

"It's the water." Arthur and I looked at each other before rushing to the main square and looked into the well bucket.

"Go get the King, now!" I ordered the guard who was standing close by and he left quickly.

"Go check the reservoir." Arthur ordered another guard. The guard who was to check the reservoir came back first to tell us what he saw with the one ordered to get the king nor far behind him. Uther sifted the sand through his fingers in the well bucket.

"Sand. And you say the well is full of it?" Uther asked.

"I sent men down to the underground reservoir. There is no trace of water to be found." Arthur told him.

"First the crops, and now this." Uther said standing up.

"It's the same throughout the kingdom. There's precious little water anywhere." I told him.

"Gaius. Can you offer any explanation for this?" Uther asked him.

"I cannot think of a scientific explanation. I can only conclude it's the result of sorcery." Gaius told him and I glanced at Merlin.

"I believe you're right. It is the work of magic. The kingdom is under attack." Uther declared.

* * *

"And you believe what this Anhora said about the curse to be true?" Gaius asked Merlin after he told us what happened with him and Arthur.

"Well, you said there's a legend that misfortune comes to anyone who slays a unicorn. It makes sense." Merlin told us.

"Not much for breakfast, I'm afraid. We're down to our last few scraps of food." Gaius told Merlin.

"Where did you get the water to make the tea?" I asked him looking at the tea he had served us.

"Fortunately, for us, Merlin forgot to empty his bath yesterday." I felt my stomach turn.

"You're making tea from my bath water?" Merlin asked him.

"It's not so bad. Perhaps a little... soapy." Gaius told him and Merlin sighed.

"What does Arthur think about the curse?" Gaius asked.

"He doesn't believe it's his fault. He's convinced Anhora's responsible for it." I told him.

"If you do not wish to drink bath water, you better make sure Arthur sees sense." Gaius told Merlin.

* * *

I was walking down the halls when I saw Arthur and Merlin walking down the halls, talking silently.

"Should I be worried?" I asked them as we continued walking towards each other.

"Why would you be worried?" Arthur asked me.

"My brother and my prince are talking in secret around the castle, which normally means you two are up to something. I want in." I told him. He gave a look just asking if I was kidding.

"You have got to be joking." he told me.

"Do I?" I asked him.

"Why would you want to join us on something that could dangerous?" Arthur asked me.

"Because it's fun." I said smiling at him. "Besides it gives me a chance to spend time with my two favorite boys." he sighed and I knew I was in.

* * *

Merlin leaned against a pillar near the grain store with his eyes closed, smacking his lips. Arthur rolled his eyes and hit him with a broom while I silenced my giggles.

"Don't you worry about keeping watch, Merlin. You just make yourself comfortable." Arthur told him sarcastically. Merlin sighed and smacked his lips some more.

"Stop smacking your lips. It's annoying." Arthur told him.

"I'm thirsty." Merlin told him.

"We're all thirsty, Merlin." Arthur told him and Merlin sighed.

"Pst! Someone's coming." I told them and Arthur drew his sword. Merlin and I followed him into the grain store where we saw the intruder's silhouette. Arthur did some hand motions to Merlin and Merlin looked confused.

"You go over there and come in." Arthur mouthed to Merlin. Merlin nodded to him. "Show yourself, before I run you through." Arthur called to the intruder. I watched as Merlin picked up a scythe hook as a man edged around the corner with a shovel in one hand and a sack of grain in the other.

"Who are you?" I asked him.

"My name is... My name is..." the man stuttered out.

"Speak up!" Arthur ordered.

"My name is Evan, My Lord." Evan told us as Merlin came out of hiding.

"I see you think you can help yourself to our grain reserves. My father has order that looters be executed." Arthur told him.

"Please, My Lord. I- I do not steal for myself. I have three children they have not eaten for two days. They are hungry." Evan begged.

"It's the same for everyone." Arthur told him.

"I... I know that it is wrong to steal. I couldn't bear to see them starve." Evan told us.

"And could you bear for your children to see you be executed?" Arthur asked him. Evan shook his head, close to tears.

"Arthur." Arthur looked at me and then back to Evan.

"Then you should go home. If you're caught stealing again, I will not spare you." Arthur told him and I smiled.

"Yes, My Lord. Thank you." Evan said smiling and putting the sack of grain and shovel down and started to leave.

"Wait." Arthur called. Evan turned to him and Arthur picked up the sack of grain and tossed it to him. "Use it sparingly. It might be the last food you and your family get for some time." Arthur suggested to him.

"You have shown yourself to be merciful and kind, My Lord. This will bring its own reward." Evan told us walking away.

* * *

I stood in Arthur's chambers with Arthur and Merlin gulping down a large amount of water.

"Never knew water could taste so good." Arthur said as he placed his goblet down.

"My throat was so dry, I thought I wouldn't be able to talk." Merlin told us.

"Well, at least some good would've come from the drought, then." Arthur said and I laughed at his comment.

"More?" Merlin asked and Arthur motioned towards our mugs and Merlin filled them.

"The sand's disappeared. The water returned to the well. It doesn't make any sense. "I suppose you have some explanation for this, Merlin? Let's hear it." Arthur told Merlin.

"Anhora said you would be tested. And last night, in the grain store, you let that villager go. And he said it would bring its own reward." Merlin told him.

"He was merely grateful, and so he should have been." Arthur told him.

"Maybe that was your first test then. You passed it, so the curse has begun to lift. Perhaps this is your reward." I told him and he rolled his eyes. "If you're tested again, you have a chance to end your people's suffering. I know you want that more than anything. Perhaps we should seek Anhora out." I told him.

"I cannot negotiate with sorcerers. My father wouldn't hear of it." Arthur told me.

"Then it's probably best you don't tell him." Merlin told him.

"I must go check on the guard. See if you can find me some food." Arthur told Merlin walking out of his room.

"Find some food!" Merlin muttered and I smiled at him and walked away.

* * *

I walked among the people as they continued to queue outside the grain store with Merlin.

"Who are they?" Merlin asked me.

"People from the outlying villages in search of food." I told him.

"What are we going to do about this?" he asked me.

"I don't know but what we are doing, it is not enough." I told him as I saw Arthur walking away from Morgana and walked up to him.

"How are you holding up?" I asked him as he put his arms around me.

"How do you think?" he asked me as we looked at the people around us.

"We have to find a way to help them, Arthur. I can't stand to watch these people suffer. Especially the children." I told him, my saddened eyes looking at everyone.

"I know, love. I know." he told me holding me close to him.

* * *

Merlin, Arthur and I were searching through the woods.

"I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for." I told the boys looking at the ground.

"You're looking for footprints or broken branches. Anything that would indicate someone passed that..." Arthur broke off. "Merlin! Lizzy! He's here!" Arthur said running off.

"Arthur?!" Merlin called out, neither of us knowing where he went.

"Arthur!" I called out trying to get him to answer. Merlin and I ran as fast as we could in the direction we thought Arthur went in. "Arthur?! Arthur?!" We finally found Arthur who looked sadly at the ground.

* * *

"I know Arthur's stubborn and pig-headed and annoying, but he cares about his people. More than he cares about himself. He will not forgive himself for making his people suffer." Merlin told Gaius and I later that night in my chambers.

"You must make sure he doesn't do anything rash." Gaius told us.

"The mood he's in, I don't know what he's gonna to do." I told both of them. "Don't worry, I'll watch him. You two go on back." I told them and they left. I stared out the window at the moon for a while before heading to bed.

* * *

The next day, I stood with Arthur in the council chamber when Uther entered.

"There are some supplies left in the palace stores. We are distributing them to the people, but there is not enough to live on. They will not survive for long." Arthur told his father.

"Then you must stop distributing food to the people." Uther told him and I looked at the king in shock.

"They will starve." I said.

"We must conserve the food we have for our army." Uther told Arthur and I.

"We cannot let our people go without food." Arthur said trying to help the people.

"We must defend the kingdom at all cost." Uther told him.

"What's the point of defending a kingdom when the people..." Arthur began asking but Uther interrupted him.

"Well, what would you have me do?!" Uther asked him.

"... starve to death?! Ask the neighboring kingdoms for help." Arthur told him.

"Ha." Uther laughed at the idea.

"They may be able to spare some food." Arthur told him.

"Out of the question. As soon as they realize how we weak we are, our enemies will strike against us." Uther told him.

"You don't know that for certain!" Arthur told him.

"Besides I would rather starve than beg my enemies for help! What of our kingdom's reputation? Have you no pride?" Uther asked him.

"I cannot think of my pride when our people go hungry. They're all I can think of." Arthur told his father.

"Give the order to stop distributing food to the people. Is that understood?" Uther asked him.

"You'll have to give that order yourself." Arthur told him.

"Very well. But if you'd caught the sorcerer, I would not have to. That's your responsibility! One day you will understand what it takes to be King!" Uther yelled at him walking out. Arthur leaned over with his hands on the table.

"He's right. I should have caught him." Arthur told me.

"Arthur, you can't blame yourself for this." I said walking up to him. "Your father is in the wrong on this one, you know that. Pride has nothing to do with this, caring about the people does." I told him, holding his hand. "We will get through this. All of us." I told him and he squeezed my hand.

* * *

Arthur, Merlin and I stood on a balcony as we watched people continue queuing in the square.

"They do not know yet know there is worse to come." Arthur said.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked him.

"The king is going to stop distributing food to the people. They are to be left to starve." I told him and he looked shocked at me.

"I had a chance to lift the curse. And I failed them." Arthur said.

"You weren't to know you were being tested." Merlin told him.

"My people are starving. Camelot is on the verge of collapse. And it is all my doing." Arthur told us and I held him close.

"We will find a way to solve this, I know we will." I told him.

* * *

"Arthur, why don't you sit down for a moment?" I asked him.

"I can't. I can't stop feeling guilty about what I've done to make my people suffer." he told me pacing the floor.

"You didn't know what could have happened." I reminded him.

"No, but I should have listened to the people who told me something would happen. A good king listens to his advisers." Arthur told me.

"That's true, so listen to my advice. Relax. I'm sure we will figure something out to help the people of Camelot. We always do." I told him. He looked at me and sighed before sitting next to me on the bed. "See? Was that so hard?" I asked him.

"Depends on what happens next." he told me smiling. I smiled and looked down at my lap before looking up at him when Merlin burst into the room.

"Arthur!" he called.

"Merlin. We've had the discussion about knocking." Arthur told him and I laughed lightly.

"What is it Merlin?" I asked him smiling.

* * *

I watched as Arthur prepared for travel.

"Let us come with you. You don't know what form of test will take. We might be able to help." Merlin begged him.

"You're not coming. I brought this curse upon Camelot. I'm gonna be the one to lift it, or die trying." Arthur told us.

"Alright, how does you dying help anyone?" I asked him.

"I'll die knowing I did everything I can." Arthur told me.

"We're coming with you." Merlin told him.

"Merlin, you are to stay here, and help the people as best you can. Is that understood?" Arthur told him and he nodded. "Liz, I can't order you to stay, but I want you to help the people as much as you can." he told me and I nodded to him. Later that day I watched him ride out of Camelot and across the countryside. Merlin and I soon followed on our own horses.

* * *

Merlin and I arrived at the labyrinth a short time after Arthur had.

"Stay here. Keep an eye out for our return." I told him.

"Liz, it's my destiny to help him." he told me.

"Fine. Let's go." I told him. We got off our horses and walked into the labyrinth behind him. We lost him in the maze when all the sudden the vines wrapped around us. We tried to get them off but it was in vain. I then saw a man in a white cloak standing in front of us.

"Merlin!" He looked towards the man and grew angry.

"You said Arthur would face a test. And here you are, preparing a trap for him." Merlin told him.

"The trap isn't for Arthur. It is for you. _Gehæftan." _The vines crawled up our legs and pulled us into the hedges.

* * *

Merlin was sitting at a table while Anhora held my arm so I didn't go anywhere. What was he planning? I watched Arthur can through an entryway.

"Merlin? Liz?" he asked looking between the two of us.

"I'm sorry." Merlin told him.

"Let them go. I'll take your test, but not till they're released." Arthur told Anhora.

"That is not possible. Merlin is part of the test. Please sit. If you refuse the test, you will have failed and Camelot will be destroyed." Anhora told him..

"And Liz?" Arthur asked looking at Anhora's hand on my arm.

"She is to witness the test." Anhora told him.

"I thought I told you two to stay at home." Arthur said looking at the two of us before sitting down across from Merlin.

"We followed you because we were worried about you Arthur." I told him.

"Let's get on with it." Arthur told Anhora.

"There are two goblets before you. One of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the other goblet, a harmless liquid. All the liquid from both goblets must be drunk, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet." Anhora told him.

"What kind of ridiculous test is that? What does that prove?" Arthur asked him.

"What it proves is for you to decide. If you pass the test, the curse will be lifted." Anhora told him.

"Let's think about this. What if I drink from my goblet first?" Merlin suggested.

"If it's poisoned, you'll die." I told him.

"And if it's not, then Arthur'll have to drink from yours, and he'll die. There must be a way around it." Merlin told us.

"It is perfectly simple. One of us has to die. We have to find a way to determine which goblet has the poison. And then I'll drink it." Arthur told him.

"What?!" I asked shocked at him.

"I will be the one to drink it." Merlin told him.

"You're both insane!" I told them.

"This is my doing. I'm drinking it." Arthur said looking at the two of us.

"It is more important that you live. You're the future king. I'm just a servant." Merlin told him.

"This is no time to be a hero, Merlin. It really doesn't suit you." Arthur told him and Merlin sighed.

"What if I drink from mine first, and if that's not poisoned, I will then drink yours?" Merlin suggested.

"He said each of us is only allowed to drink from a single goblet. I had no idea you were so keen to die for me." Arthur told him and I remained quiet at those words.

"Trust me, I can hardly believe it myself." Merlin told him and Arthur snorted at the comment.

"I'm glad you two are here." Arthur said sighing.

"I've got it. Right, we pour all the liquid into one goblet and then we can be sure it is poisoned. Then all the liquid can be drunk, and it will be from a single goblet." Merlin told him.

"You never cease to surprise me. You're a lot smarter than you look." Arthur told him.

"Is that actually a compliment?" Merlin asked him.

"Look out!" Arthur pointed behind Merlin and Merlin looked. Arthur quickly took the two goblets and poured all the liquid into one of them, holding it to drink.

"No! I will drink it!" Merlin said after looking back at Arthur.

"As if I'd let you." Arthur told him.

"You can't die. This isn't your destiny." I told him.

"It seems you're wrong Liz. I would have loved to live a life with you." Arthur told me smiling and I started crying.

"Listen to me!" Merlin told him.

"You know me, Merlin. I never listen to you." Arthur told him toasting him.

"Arthur!" Merlin called out as he drank it. "No! What have you done?" Arthur then fell off the chair, unconscious.

"Arthur! No!" I forced Anhora to let go of my arm and ran to him. "Arthur. Arthur. Come on! Arthur, come on. Come on. Come on! No... Come on." I said trying to shake him awake.

"Please. Please! Just... let me take his place!" Merlin begged him.

"No!" I said looking up at him scared.

"This was Arthur's test, not yours." Anhora told Merlin.

"You've killed him! I was meant to protect him!" Merlin said as I held Arthur close to me.

"He is not dead. He's merely consumed a sleeping draught. He will come round shortly." Anhora told us and I looked at him confused.

"What?" I asked him.

"A unicorn is pure of heart. If you kill one, you must make amends by proving that you also are pure of heart. Arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save Merlin's. He has proven what is truly in his heart. The curse will be lifted." Anhora told us and I smiled.

* * *

We all rode into Camelot and dismounted while the townsfolk are carrying around platters joyously.

"Merlin, Arthur, Liz, there is good news! The crops are growing once again! They are bringing in the harvest!" Gaius told us as he and Uther walked up to us.

"You did it." I told Arthur smiling.

"Is this your doing? Is the sorcerer dead?" Uther asked his son.

"He won't be troubling us anymore." Arthur told his father.

"Good, make sure the grain reserves are re-stocked." Uther ordered.

"I'll see to it. There's something we must do first." Arthur told his father looking at Merlin and I.

* * *

Arthur laid the unicorn's horn in a burial mound of stones.

"I should never have ended your life. I'm sorry." Arthur, Merlin and I began laying stones over the grave.

"Arthur... Liz..." Merlin said and we looked at him before looking in the direction he was looking. I smiled as the beautiful unicorn looked at us before running away.


End file.
